most vinyl acetate is converted into poly(vinyl acetate) (PVA) which is used in the manufacture of dispersions for paints and binders, and as a raw material for paints. It is also copolymerized with vinyl chloride and ethylene and, to a lesser extent, with acrylic esters. A considerable portion of the vinyl acetate is converted into poly(vinyl alcohol) by saponification or transesterification of poly(vinyl acetate). The world production capacity for poly(vinyl alcohol) in 1991 was over 0.68 X 106 tonnes per year, of which Japan, the USA, and Western Europe accounted for 250000, 120000, and 80000 tonnes per year, respectively. The production figures for these countries are listed in the adjacent table. Its use varies from country to country: in the USA and Western Europe its main application is as a raw material for adhesives, while its use for fibers dominates in Japan. It is also employed in textile finishing and paper gluing, and as a dispersion agent (protective colloi