Polyvinylchloride (PVC - often referred to as ‘vinyl’) deserves special attention because it accounts for almost 50% of total plastic use in construction, and because it is increasingly recognized as problematic. PVC is common in flooring, pipes, siding, wire insulation, conduit, window frames, wallcovering, and roofing, among other areas.

Vinyl is pervasive because of its benefits: good strength relative to its weight, durability, water resistance, and adaptability. Vinyl tends to be inexpensive, in part because vinyl production can require roughly half the energy needed to produce other plastics. Products made from vinyl can be resistant to biodegradation and weather, and are effective insulators. The physical properties of vinyl can be tailored for a wide variety of applications.

However, the dramatic environmental liabilities of vinyl argue for the conscientious search for substitutes. Concerns with vinyl include:

• Like other common plastics, vinyl is derived from petroleum, so its manufacture is energy-intensive, produces emissions of toxic air pollutants and carbon dioxide, and generates hazardous liquid and solid wastes.
• Unlike other common plastics, chlorine is a key component of vinyl resin, accounting for more than half its weight. Chlorine makes PVC more fire resistant than other plastics, but PVC eventually burns and its smoke contains dioxins, among the most toxic chemicals known to man. Health effects of dioxin, even in minute quantities, include cancer and birth defects.
• Polyvinyl chloride is produced from vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and ethylene dichloride (EDC), which are carcinogens and acutely toxic.
• PVC production releases VCM and EDC to the environment, and there is no safe vinyl chloride exposure level. Clean air regulation and liability concerns have been effective in reducing total VCM releases since 1980, while PVC use has roughly tripled. Nonetheless, leaks and accidental releases continue, totaling 335 tons in 2002.¹ Five employees of a Formosa Plastics plant in Illinois were killed in April 2004 when an apparent vinyl chloride release ignited.² The explosion destroyed most of the plant and forced evacuation of the surrounding community.
• PVC is inert in normal use, but older PVC products are often contaminated with traces of VCM, which can leach into the surrounding environment and contaminate drinking water.
• Pure PVC is rigid and brittle; plasticizers (such as phthalates) are required to make PVC useful. Over time, phthalates can leach out or offgas, exposing building occupants to materials linked to reproductive system damage, and cancer in laboratory animals. Lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals are also used in some PVC products.

Carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of vinyl products. For many applications, particularly indoor products where occupants can be directly exposed to off-gassing plasticizers, substitution for the sake of health is clearly preferable. Substitutes may cost more or require different maintenance, but many will also outlast plastics with proper care. Simple, significant ideas include:

• Windows framed with fiberglass, FSC certified wood, or possibly wood-based composites utilizing formaldehyde-free binders. However, the energy savings of installing dual-glazed windows probably make even vinyl framed windows preferable to obsolete single-glazing.
• Stucco, lime plaster, reclaimed wood, fiber-cement, and FSC certified wood siding
• Flooring made from natural linoleum, cork, tile, finished concrete, or earth. (Chlorine-free synthetics such as Stratica are a step in the right direction.)
• Glass shower doors instead of vinyl curtains
• Natural fiber furniture

Environmentally preferable options can be found throughout this guide and its references.

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A Note about Terminology: