Is PVC considered a plastic?

Over the past few decades, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) plastic, commonly known as “vinyl,” has become one of the most widely-used types of plastics. PVC contaminates humans and the environment throughout its lifecycle during its production, use and disposal.

Is PVC plastic or vinyl?

Vinyl is commonly used as a shorthand name for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic as used in a range of products from flooring to siding to wall covering. Most commonly, when a product is referred to as “vinyl,” it is comprised primarily of PVC.

What is wrong with PVC plastic?

PVC contains dangerous chemical additives including phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to your child’s health. These toxic additives can leach out or evaporate into the air over time, posing unnecessary dangers to children.

What is PVC plastic properties?

PVC (plasticised) is less rigid; has high impact strength; is easier to extrude or mould; has lower temperature resistance; is less resistant to chemicals, and usually has lower ultimate tensile strength. The variability from compound to compound in plasticised PVC is greater than that in PVC-U.

How is PVC plastic made?

PVC is produced by polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). The main polymerization methods include suspension, emulsion, and bulk (mass) methods. About 80\% of production involves suspension polymerization. Next, the initiator is fed into the reactor, and PVC is produced under a few bars at 40 – 60°C.

Why is PVC used?

PVC is a versatile material that offers many possible applications, these include; window frames, drainage pipe, water service pipe, medical devices, blood storage bags, cable and wire insulation, resilient flooring, roofing membranes, stationary, automotive interiors and seat coverings, fashion and footwear, packaging …

Is PVC sustainable?

PVC has inherent sustainability characteristics. Made from rock salt (57\%) and oil (43\%), it contains less carbon than most major thermoplastics. As more than half of the weight of PVC is composed of chlorine, its feedstock energy is about half the feedstock energy needed for the plastics based mainly on hydrocarbons.

How is PVC disposed?

Once the PVC products have been used they can be disposed of safely by recycling, incineration or burial methods. Recycling can be carried out in two ways; either by sorting the waste plastics by hand or more recently automatically, this is known as Mechanical recycling.