AN A320 DIVERTED TO AN ENROUTE ARPT FOLLOWING ACRID ELECTRICAL FUMES THROUGHOUT THE ACFT. AN EMER WAS DECLARED.

Narrative

BURNT PLASTIC SMELL IN THE AIR. FLT ATTENDANT CALLED UP TO SAY THAT THEY HAD THE SAME IN THE BACK AND WERE INVESTIGATING. WE DID THE QRC PROC FOR SMOKE IN THE CABIN. THE SMELL INTENSIFIED AND HAD A STINGING EFFECT ON THE EYES. FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THE SMELL SEEMED TO BE ORIGINATING BY THE FORWARD BACK LAVATORY. WE COORD WITH DISPATCH; MAINT; AND ATC. LIGHTS AND THE ENTERTAINMENT SYS WERE TURNED OFF IN THE CABIN. WE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ AND AN EMER DECLARED. A PA WAS DONE TO EXPLAIN TO THE PAX THAT WE WOULD BE DIVERTING TO ZZZ AND TO EXPECT A NORMAL LNDG. THE SMELL SEEMED TO DISSIPATE. THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID A CABIN ADVISORY. THERE WERE 2 RELATIVELY NEW FLT ATTENDANTS AND ALL FLT ATTENDANTS DID A GREAT JOB. WE DID THE OVERWT LNDG CHKLIST AS WE TOUCHED DOWN SMOOTHLY AT 149000 LBS. EMER VEHICLES FOLLOWED US TO THE GATE AND FIREMAN DID A SWEEP OF THE CABIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 778414: MEANWHILE; FO WAS COORDINATING THE CABIN ACTIVITIES ON THE INTERPHONE AND TRYING TO IDENT A SOURCE BASED ON INFO FROM PURSER; WHO SAID IT WAS BEGINNING TO DISSIPATE BUT WAS STILL STRONG IN SOME AREAS OF THE CABIN. THE FUMES HAD CAUSED A STINGING SENSATION TO MY EYES AND THROAT AND I WAS ON OXYGEN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. HOWEVER; TALKING TO COMPANY WAS DIFFICULT WITH THE MASK AND I REMOVED IT; AS I COULD NOT HEAR WHAT WAS BEING SAID. THE FUMES WERE NOT SO STRONG THAT IT WAS UNBEARABLE AND THERE WAS NO VISIBLE SMOKE OR HAZE IN THE COCKPIT OR CABIN. IN FACT; WHEN I LEFT THE ACFT TO TALK TO THEM REGARDING STAGING THE PAX; I WAS TOLD THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TURNING THE ACFT IN SHORT ORDER. I EXPLAINED THAT I WOULD NOT BE TAKING THAT ACFT OUT AGAIN AND WAS CHALLENGED REGARDING 'ARE YOU REFUSING THE ACFT; THEN?' AND 'SOMEONE NEEDS TO TELL ZONE THAT THE CAPT IS REFUSING TO FLY THIS ACFT.' I DO NOT KNOW THE PERSON'S NAME; BUT IT WAS CLR THAT THEY WERE IN CHARGE OF SOMETHING -- NOT SURE WHAT. I WAS DISAPPOINTED BOTH TO HAVE TO WAIT 3 HRS FOR AN ACFT AND ALSO THAT THE ACFT THAT WAS PROVIDED WAS IN SUCH POOR MAINT CONDITION.