What’s wrong with PVC/vinyl?

What products are made of PVC, and how do I find safer alternatives?

There are so many products made of PVC, I’m a little overwhelmed. Are there some that I should be more concerned about than others?

I heard about lead being found in children’s lunch boxes. What should I do?

Which plastic food containers are safest?

What’s the safest water bottle?

What’s wrong with PVC/vinyl?

All plastics have environmental problems, but PVC is by far the worst. Dioxins are produced at many points in the making of PVC, and additional dioxins are produced if PVC burns, either during garbage incineration or in structure or automobile fires. EPA studies have shown that incineration of garbage and medical waste are two of the largest sources of dioxins. Dioxins are among the most powerful carcinogens known, and they also cause a whole range of other health effects on the reproductive, endocrine, and immune systems. EPA estimates that most people in this country have dioxin exposures 200 times above estimated safe levels. For more information on dioxin, see our FastFacts section on Persistent Toxic Chemicals.

Workers involved in making PVC or its basic ingredients are exposed to vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen, and chemicals from PVC production have contaminated groundwater near several plants. PVC also requires the use of many toxic chemical stabilizers, such as lead, cadmium and organotins, and phthalate plasticizers. These chemicals leach, flake, or outgas from the PVC over time, raising risks that include asthma, lead poisoning, and cancer. Because of these additives, recycling is nearly impossible for most PVC products and interferes with the recycling of other plastics.

To learn more about Washington Toxics Coalition’s work to get governments, businesses, hospitals, and consumers to buy PVC-free products, click here.

What products are made of PVC, and how do I find safer alternatives?

You can find a comprehensive list of products that can be made of PVC, along with safer alternatives, in our fact sheet, Vinyl Exam: Eliminating PVC in Your Home (88kb PDF file). Here are tips on some of the more common items:

• flooring: linoleum, cork, bamboo, and wood are preferable alternatives.

• wall coverings: various alternatives are available, such as paint, paper-based wallpaper, and wood paneling.

• windows and doors: the preferred choice is wood, especially from certified sustainable sources.

• shower curtains: choose cotton shower curtains with polyester or nylon liners.

• children’s items such as toys, bibs, and teethers: toymakers including Early Start, Little Tikes, Lego, Prime Time Playthings, Sassy, and Tiny Love have pledged to stop using PVC.

• plastic wrap and food containers: use glass containers as much as possible for food and beverage storage. When glass can’t be used, choose plastic containers marked with recycling symbols 1, 2, 4, or 5. Minimize use of plastic wraps as much as possible; if necessary, choose plastic wrap made of polyethylene, such as GLAD^TM. Product packages marked with the #3 recycling symbol are made of PVC.

• other products that can be made of PVC include: siding, electrical wire coatings, piping, garden hoses, fencing and decking, apparel, inflatable furniture, shutters and blinds, mattress covers, and notebook covers.

There are so many products made of PVC, I’m a little overwhelmed. Are there some that I should be more concerned about than others?

If you have children, start by replacing PVC products that contact their mouths, such as toys, teethers, sippers, and other beverage and food containers. Toymakers including Early Start, Little Tikes, Lego, Prime Time Playthings, Sassy, and Tiny Love have pledged to stop using PVC, and PVC-free beverage and food containers are easy to find. Explore these tips on finding less-toxic products from the Pollution in People website:

• products for children and babies
  

• safer kitchenware
  

Avoid vinyl lunch boxes (see our next FastFacts below), and don’t allow children to drink from garden hoses of any type.

Also choose alternatives to PVC food and beverage containers for adult use. Use glass containers as much as possible for food and beverage storage. When glass can’t be used, choose plastic containers marked with recycling symbols 1, 2, 4, or 5. Minimize use of plastic wraps as much as possible; if necessary, choose plastic wrap made of polyethylene, such as GLAD^TM. Product packages marked with the #3 recycling symbol are made of PVC.

Please see the safer kitchenware link above for more information on choosing kitchenware. The phthalate plasticizers used in PVC are also used in some cosmetics and personal care products; to learn more, please see our FastFasts section on cosmetics (link).

Replacing materials used in large quantities in and around the home, such as flooring, piping, wall coverings, and siding is probably impractical in most cases, but always look for PVC-free materials when doing any remodeling. Items like shower curtains and apparel are easy to replace.

I heard about lead being found in children’s lunch boxes. What should I do?

If you have a lunch box made of vinyl/PVC, throw it away and choose cloth lunch bags or metal lunch boxes instead. To learn more about lead in children’s lunch boxes, see the Center for Environmental Health’s website.

Tips on choosing safer kitchenware are available here, and don’t forget to choose less-toxic foods too!

Which plastic food containers are safest?

Avoid containers made of PVC/vinyl (3), polycarbonate (7), or polystyrene (6), and choose plastic containers with the recycling symbols 1, 2, 4, or 5. (If you have plastic containers that aren’t marked with recycling symbols, check with the manufacturer.) However, glass is the best choice when practical. Glass leftover containers with removable plastic tops are available in various sizes and are convenient for microwaving leftovers.

Avoid microwaving or heating plastic containers or plastic wrap. Instead, choose glass or lead-free ceramic dishware, and use waxed paper or paper towels instead of cling wrap.

For more information about plastics for food and beverage storage, see the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Smart Plastics Guide.

What’s the safest water bottle?

Stainless steel is probably the best choice, though you may want to avoid storing strongly acidic liquids such as soda as small amounts of nickel and chromium can leach from stainless steel. Bottles made of coated aluminum are also available. While manufacturers claim that the coatings are non-toxic, this can’t be confirmed without full disclosure of the ingredients.

Avoid plastic water bottles made of polycarbonate (7) - these are usually translucent (not opaque) and hard, and available in various bright colors. Water bottles made of PVC (3) and polystyrene (6) are less common, but should also be avoided. Choose plastic bottles made of polypropylene (5) or polyethylene (1, 2, 4) instead. Some people reuse beverage bottles; if you try this, replace the bottles regularly, as they are hard to clean and bacteria can accumulate inside them.

If you don’t mind the extra weight, glass-lined thermoses are a non-toxic option. Some people have success reusing glass bottles – be sure to transport them carefully, and replace them regularly too.