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How green is PVC?
A study of the environmental impact of PVC
~ Greencard for: PVC ~
Weight:
1
Kg
Lifespan:
200
Years
Enegy to make:
4.7
Kwh
Energy use:
0
Kwh per year
Co2 footprint
3.2
Kg
Chemical footprint:
High
Waste footprint:
62
%
Carbon offset:
3.1
Trees
Polyvinyl chloride or PVC is the third most common thermoplastic polymer after polythene and poltpropylene, over 50% of PVC manufactured is used in construction for things like waste soil pipes, guttering, plastic winows and plumbing fittings. With the addition of Phthalate addatives PVC can be made flexible and used for many more products including: Clothing, electrical insulation, inflatable products, flexible hoses and tubing.
Chemical contamination
Many vinyl products contain Phthalate additives to change the chemical consistency of the product. Some of these additional additives can leach out of vinyl products. Phthalates mimic human hormones and also affect various life forms including fish and invertebrates. Other vinyl products, including car interiors, shower curtains, flooring, can release chemical gases like clorine into the air when they are new.
Lifetime embodied energy
A UK study found many types of PVC to be similar in embodied energy (by weight) to polyethylene and lower than many other plastics although PVC injection moulding was higher than polyethylene and polystyrene. However, climate change emissions from PVC production were higher than polyethylene and similar to polystyrene and polypropylene
Recycling and material recovery
While PVC is technically recyclable, the multitudes of additives required to make PVC useful make large scale post consumer recycling nearly impossible for most products and the presence of PVC can interfere with the recycling of other plastics. [12] [13] Of an estimated 7 billion pounds of PVC thrown away in the US, only 14 million - less than 1/2 of 1 percent - is recycled. The Association of Post Consumer Plastics Recyclers declared efforts to recycle PVC a failure and labeled it a contaminant in 1998
Factoids
[2]
PVC requires 20 percent less energy to produce than other plastics.
PVC is one of the ten most dangerous toxins that are found in homes.
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