Why PVC free?
As you will be able to see from another of our blogs we were recently asked to ensure that our bags and litho inks were Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) free. We were able to confirm they were, and it lead to a bit of a discussion in the office about why it is so important…
| Polypropylene (PP) | Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) |
| One of the most neutral plastics as it contains just two elements Carbon (C) and Hydrogen (H). | The basic structure of PVC contains around 30% Chlorine (Cl) which, like all halogens, is a potentially hazardous substance in the environment. |
| If incinerated or present in accidental fires PP will generate only carbon dioxide & water. | PVC however produces toxic byproducts such as chlorocarbons and hydrochloric acid. |
| Neither lead or any other heavy metals are used in the production of Polypropylene. | PVC is not only dangerous in its basic form but needs a lot of lead to stabilise it; lead is highly toxic both during the life of the product and during its disposal. |
| PP is manufactured from a waste product of the petroleum industry that otherwise would be burned off adding to greenhouse emissions. Therefore, the production of PP actually reduces greenhouse emissions. | The production of PVC is a highly hazardous process which has to adhere to very strict guidelines. PVC monomers have been proved to have a negative effect on workers in numerous studies. |
| Polypropylene is 100% recyclable! | Due to its chemical composition and the additives it contains PVC is not recyclable to the same extent. |
In conclusion… according to the evidence PP is a much safer, non-toxic and environmentally friendly, alternative to PVC.
Source: http://www.albox.com.au/pages/Polypropylene-vs-Polyvinyl-Chloride-(PVC).html