Some additives endanger PVC industry - author

23 April 2008 22:01  [Source: ICIS news]

BRIGHTON, England (ICIS news)--Producers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials should phase out the use of any additives where there is any doubt regarding potentially toxic effects, a polymer specialist said on Wednesday at the 10th International PVC Conference.

As long as there are viable alternatives available, continuing to use controversial additives such as phthalate plasticisers will draw negative attention to the PVC industry, and production of the plastic itself will be criticised, said Mark Everard, author of PVC: Reaching for Sustainability.

“While some in the PVC industry have remained in denial, hoping to weather the rising storm, others recognized the storm as merely the front of a changing climate and that they should therefore be determined to take positive action,” Everard said.

If the criticism of some PVC additives proves valid, it will lend credibility to criticisms of PVC with less basis in scientific fact, such as the notion that PVC releases large amounts of toxic dioxins when burned for disposal, Everard said.

“The PVC and durable plastics industry may have to agree to get out of the markets that may prejudice its longer-term future, irrespective of short-term profit,” Everard said.

For more on PVC visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Greg Holt
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