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PVC Phase-Out
Even if Occidental could make PVC and release less toxic air emissions per year, Occidental’s process is part a product, that when used and disposed of, creates severe environmental and health problems.
PVC products create dioxins when burned, leach toxic additives during use, and are the least recyclable of all major plastics.
- Because of these and other reasons, a number of organizations have called for a PVC phase out:
- American Public Health Association
- International Association of Firefighters (IAFF)
- Association of Post Consumer Plastic Recyclers – Declared PVC a
contaminant to plastics recycling
- Numerous businesses have either eliminated or begun working
towards a PVC phase-out in their products and facilities:
- Nike
- Volvo
- Saab
- Braun
- Ikea
- The Body Shop
JM and Svenska Bostder (two of Sweden’s leading construction companies)
Major construction projects - such as the Sydney 2000 Olympics village are
being designed to minimize the use of PVC “by selecting alternative
materials where they are available, are fit for the purpose and are cost
competitive.”
Nike made a public announcement that it will remove PVC entirely from its products pointing out “the issue for us with PVC is a lifecycle one. At Nike, we believe in looking at the entire product and resource lifecycle. The pure PVC polymer is not toxic, but its lifecycle is very hazardous to human health and the environment.”
To learn about alternatives to PVC, go to:
www.greenpeaceusa.org/toxics/solutionstext.htm
We ask you to join the Alliance For A Clean Environment in encouraging Occidental Chemical in Pottstown to TRANSITION NOW using SAFER ALTERNATIVES – Ask Occidental to value people’s health, our environment, and the jobs of our workers.
BUILDING MATERIALS – PVC Phase Out
National Campaign Developed by People’s Dioxin Action Summit
August, 2000
Berkley, California
Strategic Goals:
1. Market-based campaign to eliminate PVC building materials
2. Right-To-Know or labeling laws for PVC products
3. PVC-free procurement policies
Rationale
- Throughout its lifecycle, PVC plastic is likely the largest material source of dioxin to the global environment. Related efforts and support for the PVC phase-out are evident from the Dioxin Reassessment, the POP’s treaty negotiations, and the environmental justice struggles in Louisiana.
- Success of anti-PVC market based campaigns have already influenced many major companies such as Mattel, Baxter, Ikea, Nike, and the auto industry.
- Building Materials account for more than 70% of all PVC usage.
The green building movement is one of the fastest growing aspects of the environmental movement.
- The extreme potency, global nature, and disproportionate hazardous impacts of dioxin relating to production, use, and disposal of PVC have already influenced many in the building and construction industry to plan for and phase out use of PVC.
Example: Sydney Olympics and PVC-free commitments from large corporations
- There is hardly a building materials and construction company that does not at least pay lip service to being green.
Leaders in the field, like Home Depot and others, have made public commitments to change their wood purchasing practices under pressure from activist groups. Their procurement policies effectively change production practices.
- Leading professionals in the building industry are in the process of developing a common description and set of standards that will define green buildings and expose green-washing.
PVC compares unfavorably with other building materials in:
1. Air Quality
2. Embodied Energy
3. Recyclability
4. Lifecycle Toxicity Impacts
Building Materials - PVC Phase-Out – Campaign Goals
PVC-Free Greenbuilding Standards
- High Profile PVC Free Buildings
- PVC Phase-Out Commitment from Leading Material Manufacturers
Flooring and Roofing companies will be identified as PVC or Non-PVC companies – Companies who falsely identify their products as Non-PVC will be identified and vulnerable to an expose for greenwashing and double standards.
ACE P.O. Box 3063 Stowe, PA 19464 ace@acereport.org
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