don't burn it, you'll get a nasty headache

It's always smart to wear a respirator (not a dinky little paper face mask, but an actual filtered respirator) if you are cutting things that can become fine-grained breathable-size particles. Including, yes, PVC.

And don't get that plastic weld stuff on your skin.

PVC should really be a four-letter word.

For insight into the nasty reality of PVC, watch the HBO documentary "Blue Vinyl". I highly recommend it.

If it's a plumbing job you are doing and you are that worried you could use alternatives - PEX or copper for supply and ABS or cast iron for waste.

PVC is dangerous if you:
Eat it.
Inhale it.
Produce it.

Simply working around it for two weeks if you are careful won't be any worse for you than living in your apartment, which is no doubt full of toxic swiffer off-gassing, laser printer toner, and whatnot. Just do yourself a favor and get a high quality pair of one handed pvc pipe shears so you aren't cutting it with a saw.

LB is right about the solvent and the primer not being good for you - use outside or in a well ventilated area, and wear gloves. The solvent in particular can really irritate your skin.

I forgot to mention above that PVC releases dioxin when burned. Dioxin is extremely carcinogenic; It was used to poison Viktor Yuschenko, causing serious internal illness and disfuguring his face. Stay away from it!

according to this:

New car smell? New shower curtain smell? That’s the smell of poisonous chemicals off-gassing from the PVC.

!!!

PVC is terrible if it burns or melts. gives off chlorine gas essentially (PVC=polyvinyl cholride) and chlorine gas is highly highly highly toxic.

hands down. it's not good for you in prolonged exposures. why don't you go check out the MSDS sheets? whoever you're working for legally needs to provide you with them upon request...

thanks for all the comments - we'll see how things go -hopefully a cool project will result which you can all see in a few months !

makes me wonder why we use that stuff, or enamel paint for that matter. The idea of using deadly poisons to make household appliances is hardly logical to me, but I guess thats the modern way.