Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC):

Towards a Sustainable Environment

Philippine Resins Industries, Inc. (PRII)

A member of the Association of Petrochemical
Manufacturers of the Philippines (APMP)
July 25, 2008
What is PVC?
¾ PVC is polyvinyl chloride; it is
also commonly called vinyl
¾ White thermoplastic powder
¾ Highly inert and stable, electrically non-
conductive, flame-retardant, resistant to
moisture, corrosion, and aggressive
chemical environment
How is PVC Made?
¾ PVC is derived from 2 simple ingredients:
44%

Ethylene
Fossil
Fuel
Salt Chlorine

Salt is a renewable
resource from which 56%
chlorine is extracted
(C H 2-C H ) n
¾ Chemical formula: Æ
Cl
 How is PVC Made? Periodic Table of the Elements
H He
¾ Chlorine is a vital building
Li block for many O Ne
products Cl

¾ Disinfects 95% of U.S. drinking water supply

worldwide
Pb
¾ Together with other chemicals, it form 85%
of pharmaceuticals in the market
¾ The form of chlorine contained in PVC is very
stable and chemically different from elemental
chlorine
¾ Once processed into PVC, it is chemically
bonded into the product; stable in products
¾ Gives PVC products excellent fire resistance
Processes Involved in PVC
Manufacturing
Products made out of PVC
Products made out of PVC
¾Due to PVC’s clarity, strength, ability to withstand
temperatures from –40 to 1210C and steriliasability,
PVC is used for bags that store IV fluids, dialysis
solutions and blood.
¾PVC meets a demanding
range of health and safety
standards established by
numerous agencies such as
the US FDA, and Consumer
Products Safety Commission.
Since PVC is inert and nontoxic..
¾ Material of choice for
healthcare settings

¾ Surfaces do not harbor

pollutants or allergens

¾ PVC provides a higher,

safer standard
of health care while
holding down costs.
Products made out of PVC
¾PVC is the most widely used for water pipes to
deliver clean, safe-to-drink water and sewer pipes
to ensure integrity of wastewater handling systems.
¾PVC pipes offer superior durability, strength, and
low cost.
¾It will not rust or corrode, and if
installed properly, virtually needs no
maintenance throughout the life of
the system.
¾PVC pipes account for 62% and
71% of total plastic pipes in Europe
(2003) and US (2004)
Products made out of PVC
¾Because of its toughness and durability, PVC is
the leading material for construction supplies
such as sidings, window frames, doors and
jambs, roofs, gutters, downspouts, cornices,
fencing and other materials such as furniture.
Products made out of PVC
¾PVC’s excellent flame-retardant properties and
resistance to breakdown under high voltage
makes it a dependable material for wire and cable
insulation
¾Compared to its common
plastic alternatives, PVC
performs better in terms of
lower combustibility,
flammability, flame propagation
and heat release.
Products made out of PVC
¾As a packaging material, PVC helps keep food
safe and fresh during transportation and on store
shelves and provides tamper-resistant packaging
for food items, beverages and medicines.
PVC’s Environmental Performance
¾ PVC can replace several traditional materials
such as wood, copper, iron, steel, concrete and
aluminum
¾Consumes far fewer resources to produce as
compared to many competitive materials, thus
helping conserve natural resources
¾ Less dependent on non-renewable petroleum
feedstocks (56% from salt)
 ¾ In recent years, many studies by internationally
respected research institutes have compared the total
environmental impact of PVC products with those
produced from alternative materials.
Window frames
Research Institute: EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Dübendorf,
Switzerland
Date of Report: May 1996
Results: Window frames - Eco-balance data relative to PVC

[ ALUMINUM - STEEL - WOOD - PVC ]

CO2 - Greenhouse effect Ozone depletion effect Human toxicity effect Total energy effect

Source : EVC 15
PVC’s Environmental Performance
¾Requires only about 70% of energy required
for production of other plastics, thus less CO2
emissions during its production process

¾ Provides excellent life cycle benefits because

of its energy efficiency, thermal insulating
value, low CO2 emissions, easy maintenance
and superior durability
Pipe Systems
Research Institute: EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and
Research,
St. Gallen, Switzerland

Date of Report: February 1998

Results: Piping systems - Eco-balance data relative to PVC
Sewage systems
Potable water systems
[ Other plastics - PVC - Stoneware ]
[ Other plastics - PVC - Cast iron ]

Green house Total energy Green house Total energy

effect effect effect effect

Studies show that PVC has an overall environmental

performance well within the range of alternative materials.
17
Energy Consumption of PVC Fabrication is Low
4.5 4.1 times as much energy
4
3.5
3 2.8 times as much energy

2.5
2 times as much energy
2
1.5 times as much energy
1.5
1
0.5 times as much energy
0.5
0
Concrete pressure pipe

Aluminum window Wood window

Cast iron drain/waste/vent pipe Source:
Linoleum floor tileFranklin Associates, 1991

It often takes more energy to make products out of

alternatives to PVC
PVC is Thermally
Efficient
¾ Vinyl roofs reflect at
least 65% of the sun’s
rays reducing air
conditioning demand by
14%
¾ U-value 0.3-0.5 for vinyl
windows vs. 1.0-2.2 for
aluminum
PVC and the Environment

PVC is predominantly used in long-term

applications. Thus, represents only a small part
(about 0.3%) of all domestic solid waste.
Approximate Percentage of Total
PVC Application Lifetime PVC Application

Building materials such as

window frames, water and
15 - 100 years 80%
drainage pipes, electrical
cable insulation

Computer housing, Car

2-15 years 10%
parts, Furniture, etc.

Medical packaging < 2 years 10%

Source : EVC
20
PVC is Highly Reusable and
Recyclable
¾ Due to its thermoplastic nature
(can be reheated and reprocessed
over and over again), PVC is
inherently recyclable
¾ Scrap PVC are being recycled into a
variety of second generation
products such as sewage pipes,
floor tiles, hoses, boots, truck bed
liners, linoleum, etc.
PVC Manufacturing Leads to
Minimal Waste Waste

¾ Vinyl cuttings, scrap

easily heated,
reprocessed
¾ Manufacturing efficiency
99% Finished
Source: Principia Partners, 1999 product

¾PVC scrap and trim from molding and installing PVC

products are commonly recovered and reused in the
manufacturing process
PVC can be safely disposed
¾ Vinyl is inert and
would not react with
the environment
¾ Vinyl is used to line
landfills
¾ When incinerated,
modern incinerators
allow for very little
dioxin emissions
 PVC is Fire Retardant
¾ Does not support
combustion once heat
is removed
¾ Inherently flame
retardant due to its
chlorine base
¾ Vinyl smoke is no
more toxic than
smoke from other
building materials National Fire Protection Association Headquarters
Quincy, Massachusetts
PVC: The Life Saving Plastic
PVC is safe, non-toxic and saves lives
PVC is one of the most extensively
studied/tested plastic material with a well-
documented record of safety; it has made
critical products more durable, affordable and
dependable; it is not toxic nor carcinogenic

¾ PVC has been helping save thousands/millions of

lives around the world
¾ Today, about 35Mil MT of PVC is used worldwide and
consumption growth continue to increase
PVC: The Life Saving Plastic
¾ PVC is used in medical products such as blood bags
and medical tubing and in food-contact applications
as meat wrap, bottles and can enamel, products
regulated for safety by the U.S. FDA
¾ PVC is used in pipes certified to meet American
National Standards Institute/National Sanitation
Foundation Standard 61 for safe use in drinking
water service.
¾ Used for decades without any evidence of harm to
human health; not one known case of someone
having suffered as a result of using PVC product.
PVC: The Life Saving Plastic
PVC products meet a demanding range of health
and safety standards established by numerous
agencies including :
¾US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
¾National Sanitation Foundation
¾National Fire Protection Association
¾Consumer Products Safety Commission (CSPC)
¾ Various building codes
¾ In the Philippines, products are regulated by
the Bureau of Product Standards as well as the
Food and Drug Administration.
 Phthalates have a 50+ year history of
safe use and have been reviewed by
multiple regulatory bodies in the US
and overseas.
¾ Permits fabrication of transparent PVC products, a
factor important in many medical applications;
provides high resistance to kinking, ensuring that
critical fluids reach a patient in prescribed doses;
combine superior performance and cost
effectiveness to create PVC medical products that
have led to improved and affordable patient care.
 Former U.S. Surgeon General says

“Phthalates are safe”

Expert panel headed by former US Surgeon General reveal that

thePhthalates
use of phthalates in some
can be safely medical
used devices
in medical makes
products them
and toys
safer than alternative materials.
What Authorities Say about
Phthalates
¾ US FDA:
Little or no concern for most patients (caution
advised for certain highly exposed patients)
¾ European Union Committee on Medicine:
No adverse effects even in highly exposed
patients
¾ American Chemistry Council:
There is no reliable evidence that any phthalates
have ever caused any harm to any human in
their fifty-year history of use.
Phthalates in Toys
The US Consumer Products Safety
Commission (CPSC) found that DINP (di-
isononyl phthalate), the phthalate commonly
used in toys, poses “no demonstrated health
risk” when used in children’s PVC toys
(2000).

¾ EU Risk Assessment carried out on DINP published

in the Official Journal clearly stated that DINP poses
no risks to humans in any of its current applications
(including toys).
Phthalates in Toys
¾ Based on the extensive studies, there is no
scientifically validated data that shows the
use of phthalates in children's toys poses a
human health risk.
¾ DINP has an extensive database that includes
test results from studies on possible liver and
kidney effects, cancer, reproduction and
development, as well as recent and on going
research on endocrine modulation.
Phthalates in Toys
¾In 2003, the US Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) denied a petition from an NGO
to ban PVC/phthalate products for children, after an
extensive review on the risk.
¾The good news is that alternative plasticizers are
available for those “can be put in the mouth”
applications and so there should be no need to
move away from flexible PVC.
¾This is particularly important because it is the
excellent mechanical performance of flexible PVC
which prevents small pieces being broken off
resulting in children being put at risk of death by
choking.
PVC Films/Cling-wrap
DEHA (di-2-ethylhexyl adipate) is one of the
most commonly used plasticizers for plastic
food wraps. Based on extensive research,
the US Food and Drug Administration permits
the use of DEHA in packaging for all types of
food.

¾ DEHA allows the plastic wrap to cling to

bowls to help keep food fresh and safe.

¾ DEHA, being a plasticizer, has been tested in

nearly all available test / screening systems
together with a lot of other substances.
Plasticized PVC Films/Cling-wraps

PVC Films/Cling-wrap

¾ The weight of evidence shows that up to now,

there is no indication that DEHA has caused any
adverse health effects in human.
¾ Based on U.S. Department of Agriculture figures
for average consumption, the exposure to DEHA
is below levels of concern.
¾ The Center for Food and Nutrition Policy in the
US views the benefits of plastic wrap “to protect
food safety and quality on the shelf far
outweighs the imagined risks..”
PVC Films/Cling-wrap
¾ Toxicologists and legislative authorities in Europe
agree that plasticizers used in food packaging
pose no hazard to health or environment.
¾ In tests conducted in the UK and more recently
in France, Germany and the Netherlands, it was
shown that the average DEHA intake was six to
twenty times below the limits proposed by the
European Commission’s Scientific Committee for
Food, limits which already have large margins of
safety built in.
¾ Plastic food wraps are used safely by millions of
people every day to help protect foods against
spoilage and contamination.
PVC Shower Curtains
PVC shower curtains have been in the
market for decades with no reported
incidents of harm.
¾ Recent reports on PVC shower curtains claim that
curtains are harmful, without citing any evidence
of actual harm.
¾ Failed to produce quantifiable results to identify
phthalates off-gassing to the air.
¾ Seen as a blatant attempt by a well-known
pressure group to manipulate consumers and
retailers into thinking that shower curtains pose
harm, when they don’t.
News on PVC shower curtains based on
biased study
News on PVC shower curtains based on
biased study
News on PVC shower curtains
based on biased study
¾ Toxicological experts of the US Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CSPC), the agency
charged with protecting the public from dangers
in more than 15,000 types of consumer products
under its jurisdiction, had many, many concerns
with the credibility of the science involved.
¾ They cited that the methodology, as well as the
peer review which comprised a selection of
experts, are non-objective.
¾ Critics likewise said that the testing was not
verified by an independent laboratory and did not
account for real-world conditions.
DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate) is
non- carcinogenic
DEHP has been recognized as being non-
carcinogenic to humans by the European
Commission and International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC), an affiliate
organization of the World Health
Organization (WHO) – 2000
¾ Decision was based on recommendations by a
group of 28 experts from 12 countries
¾ In Europe, DEHP is the plasticizer recommended
in the European Pharmacopoeia for life-saving
medical devices such as blood and plasma
transfusion equipment.
PVC/Phthalates in Medical Devices
¾ Millions of people have benefited from having been
treated with DEHP/PVC medical products: more than
5-7 billion patient days of acute exposure and
between 1-2 billion patient days of chronic exposure
to DEHP plasticized medical products.
¾ PVC/DEHP devices such as tubings and intravenous
bags have been in use for more than 50 years in
healthcare establishments around the world;
researched extensively to ensure that they are safe
when used appropriately.
¾ No alternative has undergone the same rigid testing
and/or shown the same performance track record.
What Authorities Say about DEHP
Independent and distinguished panel of world
renowned environmental and medical experts led by
the former US Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop
concludes:
¾“DEHP in medical devices is not harmful to even
highly exposed people, those who undergo certain
medical procedures such as regular hemodialysis
or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation”.
¾“DEHP imparts a variety of important
characteristics that are critical to the function of
medical devices and eliminating DEHP in these
products could cause harm to some individuals”.
What Authorities Say about DEHP
¾ “DEHP-containing medical devices should not be
taken out of the market because the weight of
scientific evidence indicates that they pose no
significant health risk to humans. “

¾ “Conversely, because of their important physical

properties in various medical procedures and
applications, DEHP-containing devices should
remain as available to the field of medicine as
required to ensure patient safety”
What Authorities Say about DEHP
European Union’s Scientific Committee on
Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks
(SCENIHR) the EU’s highest independent
scientific authority (March 2008):
¾ In addition to its beneficial effect on mechanical
properties, DEHP also stabilizes the membranes
of red blood cells enabling blood product storage
in PVC blood bags for several weeks. This same
property has not been evaluated for most
alternative plasticizers.
¾ Some alternatives may be suitable to replace
DEHP in certain medical devices while for other
devices, it may be difficult to obtain the same
functionalities as PVC stabilized with DEHP
DEHP and Endocrine Disruption

What are endocrine – disruptors?

¾An endocrine disruptor is an oxegenous substance
or mixture that alters functions (s) of endocrine
(hormone) system and consequently causes adverse
health effects in an intact organism, or its progeny or
(sub) populations

¾Many natural and sometimes man-made substances

that act like hormones
Examples of Suspected as Endocrine Disruptors (1998)
Synthetic Female ¾ Used as oral contraceptive for hormone therapy of
Hormones menopausal syndrome
¾ Since they are hormones, naturally their hormonal
activities are strong
Phytoestrogen ¾ Substance with hormonal activity present in nature
¾ Present in soybean, therefore people are taking it
daily via food
Agricultural ¾ Residual property and toxicity are tested and
Chemicals evaluated
¾ Some of this are posing problem due to hormonal
activity
Nonyphenol, ¾ Used as surfactant, synthetic resin and plasticizer
bisphenol A, respectively
phthalate esters ¾ Bioconcentration is low. Toxicity is also weak
¾ No female hormone-lie activity was observed with
phthalate esters in animal tests (rat)
DEHP has no endocrine disruptive effects

“SPEED ’98” – Strategic Programs on Environmental Endocrine Disruptors

’98 by the Ministry of Environment (MoE), Japan

Source: Prepared from press release document by the Ministry of Environment (MoE) of Japan,
entitled the “1st Meeting of Endocrine Disruptive Chemical Substances Study committee: FY 2003
Copies of final reports on EU Risk Assessment Study
Available at:
DEHP - Final report:
http://ecb.jrc.it/documents/Existing-
Chemicals/RISK_ASSESSMENT/REPORT/dehpreport042.pdf

DINP - Summary report:

http://ecb.jrc.it/DOCUMENTS/Existing-
Chemicals/RISK_ASSESSMENT/SUMMARY/dinpsum046.pdf
DINP - Final report:
http://ecb.jrc.it/DOCUMENTS/Existing-
Chemicals/RISK_ASSESSMENT/REPORT/dinpreport046.pdf

DIDP - Summary report:

http://ecb.jrc.it/DOCUMENTS/Existing-
Chemicals/RISK_ASSESSMENT/SUMMARY/didpsum041.pdf

DIDP - Full report:

http://ecb.jrc.it/DOCUMENTS/Existing-
Chemicals/RISK_ASSESSMENT/REPORT/didpreport041.pdf
PVC, Dioxins and Incineration

“Dioxin” is a general term used to refer to

polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD’s) and
polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF’s) that are
created in small amounts in a variety of natural
and synthetic chemical processes.
PVC, Dioxins and Incineration

¾ They are formed as undesirable waste products

during processes where carbon-containing organic
material is exposed to very high temperatures in
the presence of chlorine.
¾ Because chlorine is so pervasive in the
environment, it is a fact that dioxin can be a
byproduct of natural causes, including forest fires,
lightning and volcanoes as well as manmade
activities such as burning of wood, backyard trash,
kitchen wastes, paper, etc., diesel vehicle
emissions and various manufacturing processes.
PVC, Dioxins and Incineration
¾ PVC is an extremely small source of dioxin, so small
that levels in the environment would be essentially
unchanged even if PVC were not being
manufactured and used every day in important
products.
¾ Based on data from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, dioxin levels in the environment
have been declining for decades, during which time,
production and use of PVC have soared.
¾ Similar studies in the UK, Germany and US point
out that dioxin emission have declined by 50%
since 1970, even though PVC production in these
countries has more than doubled.
 Dioxin Down, Vinyl Up
Source: Hagenmaier, 1996, EPA, 1998, 2002

Vinyl Production, billion lbs/yr

Dioxin Deposits pg/cm /yr
2
EPA Data: Vinyl is a Minor Dioxin Source
2002/4 Emissions (g TEQ)

Backyard
burning

All other
sources

Vinyl resin
mfrg
¾Based on studies in the US, the
Diesel trucks biggest manmade source of
Fireplaces dioxin by U.S.
Source: far EPA,
is backyard /open
Dioxin Policy Project,
Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics
burning (around 57%)
PVC, Dioxins and Incineration
¾ Contrary to what other sectors are leading the
public to believe, PVC can be safely incinerated in
state-of-the-art incineration facilities and its energy
can be recaptured to produce light, heat and power
for industry and home.
¾ Through complete combustion, PVC can be broken
down into water, carbon dioxide and hydrogen
chloride (HCl). This is the reason why Japan and
other major countries of the world operate their
incinerators at conditions as close to complete
combustion as possible in order to control dioxins
generation.
PVC, Dioxins and Incineration
¾ Landmark study sponsored by the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), analyzing
more than 1,900 test results from 169 large-scale,
commercial incinerators worldwide, found no
statistical relationship between the chlorine content
of waste and dioxin emissions.
¾ This was further confirmed by other similar studies,
showing that adding or removing PVC content
(typically a small fraction of total waste stream)
does not affect the generation of dioxin. In the
same manner, properly designed and operated
systems will also neutralize a range of acid gases,
including HCl.
Safe water delivered safely by PVC pipes
¾ PVC is used in pipes certified to meet American
National Standards Institute/ National Sanitation
Foundation Standard 61 for safe use in drinking
water service.
¾ Laboratory tests of drinking water passing through
PVC pipes are well within the values recommended
by the WHO for presence of chemical substances
¾ About 14 Mil MT of PVC is used worldwide for PVC
pipes and fittings for potable water supply, waste
water systems and related applications
Safe water delivered safely by PVC pipes

¾ In the Philippines, about 15 companies produce

PVC pipes for different applications, all complying
with the Philippine National Standards and
holding PS Quality Mark Licenses

¾ The PNS has recently revised the standards for

water pipes, to conform with ISO guidelines
BUREAU OF
PRODUCT
STANDARDS
CERTIFIED CERTIFIED
Product Safety Product Quality
Philippine Standard (PS) Marks
What Are We Doing for the Future?
¾ Responsible Care® commitment
– - Further reduce emissions
– - Worker health/safety training
– - Information / education campaign on proper
waste disposal and management
¾ Support recycling technology (3R’s)
¾ Continue researches and tests on new
formulations to improve environmental
performance
In Conclusion
¾ PVC is one of the most, tested, versatile and
economical plastic materials available in the world
today with well documented record of safety.
¾ PVC products not only last for a very long time, but
also have comparatively modest energy
requirements in production and disposal.
¾ The environmental footprint of PVC compares
favorably with that of competitive materials as it
conserves resources, is cost effective and has good
sustainability credentials.
¾ This is the reason why today, about 35Mil MT of
PVC is used worldwide and PVC consumption growth
continues to increase.
What You/We Can Do
¾ Beware of misinformation/fear tactics
– - Review factual data from reliable sources
– - Gain balanced view of supposed threats
– - Learn to differentiate between real and
imaginary dangers
¾ Make goals performance-based, not materials-
based
¾ Use life cycle approach
– - Compare alternative materials with equal
scrutiny
Information Sources
For more information on PVC and related
materials, please visit the following websites:
www.vinylnewsservice.net
www.plasticsinfo.org
www.vinyl2010.org
www.vinylinfo.org
www.plastics.org
www.vinylindesign.com
www.americanchemistry.com
www.phthalates.org
www.ecvm.org