PVC

by Posted in 1.3 Plastic Types - Fact Sheets Tagged , , ,

 A white brittle plastic until you add plasticisers the most common being phthalates then it becomes soft and flexible. PVC is known as the “poison plastic” because of the lethal chemicals produced during its manufacture and possibly again when disposed of.

It is an ethane derived plastic.

PVC is one of the cheaper plastics and consequently widely used.

PVC is a polymer – a large molecule created by linking together smaller molecules.

It is a combination of oil and chlorine. Chlorine is a salt, the same salt you use in the kitchen.

Over 50% of the weight of PVC comes from chlorine which means PVC requires less petroleum than many other polymers.

It is a thermoplastic material. It will melt when heated to a certain temperatures and harden when it cools.

It is naturally rigid but can be made flexible with the addition of more chemicals including phthalates.

PVC can be used in either form – hard or soft and is used as an insulator and coating for electrical cables, packaging, cling film, bottles, credit cards, audio records and imitation leather window frames, pipes, flooring, car interiors and to make medical disposables.

PVC is used massively in the building industry. Most water pipes are now made from PVC. They replace metal pipes that were less adaptable, more easily damaged and a lot more expensive.

PVC is known as the “poison plastic” because:

  • Toxic chemicals are used in its creation.One of those is vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). VCM is a gas and a known carcinogen causing cancerous tumors in the brain, lungs, liver and various tissues in humans.
  • Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a chlorinated plastic.
  • Dioxins are unintentionally, but unavoidably produced during the manufacture of materials containing chlorine like PVC
  • Dioxin is a known human carcinogen and the most potent synthetic carcinogen ever tested in laboratory animals.
  • Burning these plastics can release dioxins.

Recycling & Biodegradability

PVC does not biodegrade

PVC is not as easy to recycle as other plastics but it can be done. Though opinions differ.For pro try reconvynal and cons go to Earth 911

Safe or lethal? The debate….

Lethal

Toxic chemicals are most certainly used in its creation one of those is vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). VCM is a gas and a known carcinogen causing cancerous tumors in the brain, lungs, liver and various tissues in humans.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), found that early-era PVC (manufactured before 1977) could leach VCM into drinking water to levels that exceed the maximum contaminant level of 2 micrograms per liter of water.
Dioxins, which are lethal, are released if PVC is burnt in a low temperature fire such as an open fire or house fire.

The green movement argue that the toxins used to make PVC endanger those who work in the industry and can pollute the environment. They also claim that the toxins continue to leach out over the products lifetime putting the user at risk.

Safe

Supporters of PVC say that in the beginning manufacturers did not realise the dangers of VCM and since regulations were put in place in the 1970s those dangers have been minimised. They also claim that now the product is safe for users the chemicals are inert and no leaching has been detected.

If PVC is disposed of properly, then there is no risk of dioxins being released. Though of course this does not answer for house fires.

The argument is made more complex when phthalates are involved. Phthalates are a group of chemicals added to PVC (amongst other things), to make it more flexible. These chemicals are toxins and are not bound to the plastic. This means they are able to migrate out of plastic into the surrounding environment. That they do this is fairly well established. Whether they do so in amounts that could be dangerous or not,  is not so clear cut – but I bet you can guess which side believes what.

For an interesting summary of the debate read this article from Mother Earth News

This is from a man who works with PVC in his family business

And this is from Greenpeace

Recycling & Biodegradability

PVC does not biodegrade

PVC is not as easy to recycle as other plastics but it can be done. Though opinions differ.For pro try reconvynal and cons go to Earth 911

There’s lots more on the different plastics and what they are used for  HERE

Find out about all plastic, the boycott  and us  here

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Metal Lids With Plastic Linings

by Posted in 1.2 Plastic The Product Tagged , ,

Back in the early days of the boycott I didn’t think of glass jars as an issue – after all they weren’t  plastic so it wasn’t a problem. Of course it was you numbskull.

Look at the lids – that white sticky stuff – the seal? That’s plastic that is…

Googling around and I found this from the containers and packaging site

“Plastisol liners are one method that helps seal metal closures onto containers. Plastisol is a PVC gasket that is used in metal continuous thread and lug (sometimes called twist) closures. It is normally applied to metal lids in a ring shape on the inside of the lid at the point where it will match up with the landing of the bottle.

Plastisol material starts out as a solid. After being heated properly, Plastisol becomes liquidus and forms around the landing of the container that is being sealed. When the material cools it begins to cure, or solidifies, which then creates a tight vacuum seal.”

PVC? Not sure I like that idea.There’s lots more information here on the poison that is  PVC. And despite the industry claiming it is perfectly safe, research is being done into alternatives.  Why you might ask – and so do I. Answers? I have none but”The environmentalist group Greenpeace has advocated the global phase-out of PVC because they claim dioxin is produced as a byproduct of vinyl chloride manufacture and from incineration of waste PVC in domestic garbage.”

 

One alternative could be this from k-online

The development of PVC-free compounds for lug-type twist closures and the corresponding production processes took place before the background of the 4th Amendment 2007/19/ EC of the Plastics Directive 2002/72/EC, which no longer permits the use of some phthalates as plasticisers in PVC-based seals of closures that come into contact with food. This marked an end to the exceptions with which EU and national authorities made allowances for the industry’s difficulties in finding solutions to the migration problems. Accordingly, manufacturers of metal lug closures, food producers, bottlers and retailers are under a great deal of pressure to bring products to market that are environmentally friendly, user-friendly and, above all, comply with statutory regulations.

This TPE is free of plasticisers and PVC and is useable with a wide range of lug-type twist caps (from 38 to 82 mm in diameter). Besides those properties that are indispensible in a sealant – good processability, pasturisability, compliance with the law – this new PVC-free compound ensures compliance with the valid migration thresholds even for oily foods with longer shelf-lives (e.g., antipasti). This was confirmed * in multiple individual tests. Thus vacuum twist seals with sealant compounds by Actega DS are the preferred solution for low-migration food storage and help food industry customers keep their products from becoming entangled in the problems associated with unhealthy packaging. Moreover, the new product also addressed the need to maintain a reliable vacuum until the closure is first opened and user-friendly resealability.

So I try not to use jars.

Look here for other sneaky plastic.

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Rubber – PVC free

by Posted in 3.1 House, Office & Garden Tagged , , , , 2 Comments

I didn’t know that PVC was found in rubbers but here you go ….

from the blurb….

PVC-free thermoplastic rubber erasers, measuring 35x31x8mm, manufactured in the EU.
PVC has long been recognised as a particularly hazardous plastic – vinyl chloride itself being a known carcinogen threatening the liver, and the byproduct dioxins from manufacture and incineration can persist long in the environment and travel great distances; these are linked to immune system suppression, reproductive disorders and cancer.

Yowser – maybe you dont want that in your pencil case. You can read more about The PVC debate here

You can buy the PVC Free Rubber here

You can read more about pens & pencils here….

Look here for other sneaky plastic.

Find more  plastic free products here >>>A-Z<<< plastic free index.


Clingfilm/ Saranwrap, foodwrap and poisons

by Posted in 1.2 Plastic The Product Tagged , , 4 Comments

Not being much of a Suzy Home maker I have hardly ever in my life bought cling film. Rather glad now I’ve found out that PVC is added to most food wrap film  to make it more clingy. Though there are some films that do not contain it such as LDPE cling film.

PVC clingfilm contains Phthalates. These are added to make the plastic stretchy.

They have also been linked to possible birth defects and asthma and other nasty things.

And it gets better. PVC is known as the “poison plastic”. Toxic chemicals are used in its creation. One of those is vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). VCM is a gas and a known carcinogen causing cancerous tumors in the brain, lungs, liver and various tissues in humans.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is  a chlorinated plastic 2011-22.7 changmai 2 (49)

Dioxins are unintentionally, but unavoidably produced during the manufacture of materials containing chlorine, this includes halogenated plastics, i.e made from chlorine or fluorine.

Burning these plastics can release dioxins.

Dioxin is a known human carcinogen and the most potent synthetic carcinogen ever tested in laboratory animals.

This means that that clingfilm is hard to recycle as it gives off nasty and dangerous fumes.

PVC cling film is not at the moment recycled – not that it cant be but that it is not as easy to recycle as LDPE clingfilm (film with out PVC)

According to some it is almost impossible to tell PVC clingfilm and polythene cling film apart.

PVC cling film is often used in the food industry.

China produces large amounts of PVC clingfilm.

Foodplast -( they make food wrap) – say sure leaching happens but the levels are completely safe.

How to cut the cling film

Am I teaching my granmother to suck eggs?

  • Keep it in a bowl with a plate on top.
  • Use a re-usable container with sealable lid.
  • Kilner jars (glass) are good and come in all sizes.
  • Get a sandwich box.
  • Don’t ever believe that wrapping your legs in plastic will burn any more calories than the energy it takes to wrap your legs in plastic.