Microsoft Urged to Phase Out Use of the Poison Plastic

December 7, 2004

Seattle -- The other shoe is about to drop on PVC (vinyl plastic) in the form of a major disposal crisis for Washington state.

The ubiquitous plastic has been spread around the world in uses ranging from plastic pipe and vinyl siding to toys and packaging, such as the type used by Microsoft to wrap computer software. Washington state already ranks in the top third of U.S. states measured by PVC waste going to both landfills and incinerators, but there is much more coming. And, there is no safe way to dispose of PVC, according to a new national report PVC -- Bad News Comes in Threes: The Poison Plastic, Health Hazards, and the Looming Waste Crisis.

"Burning, burying, or recycling doesn't make PVC go away, it just creates new problems for human health and the environment," said Brandie Smith, environmental health advocate for the Washington Toxics Coalition. "The common sense solution is to avoid using PVC in favor of the many safer alternatives to this poison plastic."

Three-hundred-billion pounds of PVC plastic installed worldwide for construction and other longer-term uses during the last 30 to 40 years is reaching the end of its useful life and requires disposal. Seventy-one percent of the PVC already in the solid waste stream is from goods with a shorter life span, such as vinyl packaging.

To prevent further harm from PVC, Washington Toxics Coalition and Healthy Building Network have joined a national campaign targeting Washington state-based Microsoft and Johnson & Johnson to phase out PVC use.

"Microsoft has an excellent opportunity to exhibit leadership by setting an example of PVC phaseout in the marketplace," said Matthew Cacho, northwest coordinator for The Healthy Building Network. "When large users change purchasing decisions and begin to actively transition markets, it becomes easier for everyone else to do the right thing."

Washington has a visionary policy to phase out persistent toxic pollution and PVC is one of the products that the groups say must be targeted for elimination.

"The state should make PVC a priority by moving forward on a plan to phase out dioxin and by purchasing of PVC-free products," said Smith.

The report was co-released by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice's BE SAFE precautionary campaign and the Environmental Health Strategy Center. More information and copies of the report can be found at www.besafenet.com.

You can download the report directly here: PVC -- Bad News Comes in Threes: The Poison Plastic, Health Hazards, and the Looming Waste Crisis. (912kb PDF file)

Contact:

Ivy Sager-Rosenthal
Washington Toxics Coalition
206-632-1545 ext. 122

Healthy Building Network
206-547-1122