Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is a colourless liquid, immiscible or slightly soluble in water. VAM is a flammable liquid. VAM has a sweet, fruity smell (in small quantities), with sharp, irritating odour at higher levels. VAM is an essential chemical building block used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products. VAM is a key ingredient in emulsion polymers, resins, and intermediates used in paints, adhesives, coatings, textiles, wire and cable polyethylene compounds, laminated safety glass, packaging, automotive plastic fuel tanks, and acrylic fibres. Vinyl acetate is used to produce polyvinyl acetate emulsions and resins. Very small residual levels of vinyl acetate have been found present in products manufactured using VAM, such as moulded plastic items, adhesives, paints, food packaging containers, and hairspray.