Photo credit:
uberculture, flickr
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as PVC, is identified by the #3 chasing arrows recycling symbol. It is the third most widely used plastic today, with more than half of PVC manufactured worldwide used in construction because it is cheap, durable and easy to assemble. Some countries, including Germany and The Netherlands, discourage the use of PVC in construction based on concerns over the safety of plasticizers and emissions from manufacturing and disposal.
PVC can be made soft and more flexible with the addition of plasticizers such as phthalates. In this form, it is used in products ranging from waterproof clothing and upholstery, flexible hoses and tubing, as well as still more construction materials such as flooring, roofing membranes and electrical cable insulation. PVC is also commonly used for plastic action figures and dolls and in inflatable toys, waterbeds, pools and bounce houses.
PVC has been called the most toxic plastic and is linked to many types of cancer. Phthalates and other plasticizers in PVC have been a concern in recent years, especially in soft PVC toys and products for babies who commonly chew or mouth the products. Adult sex toys have also been found to contain high levels of phthalates. In January 2006, the European Union banned six types of phthalates in toys; in the United States, most companies have voluntarily ceased using phthalates in children's products. Vinyl products such as car interiors, shower curtains and vinyl flooring offgas notoriously high levels of plasticizing chemicals into the air—that infamous "new car smell." Toyota, Nissan and Honda eliminated PVC from their car interiors beginning in 2007. DEHP, a phthalate in many PVC medical devices, has been linked to reproductive birth defects and other illnesses. Vinyl has also been targeted as a health concern for vinyl industry factory workers and as an environmental concern based on the creation of dioxins and other toxins when PVC waste is incinerated.
Post-consumer PVC is not typically recycled, since regrinding and recompounding costs are typically higher than those of using fresh, new resin.
How to foster green biodiversity
Add a comment