The dangers of PVC plastics are being recognized by some companies.

by Nick
(Montreal)

Good piece on CNN.com today.

The bad news is that PVC plastic is everywhere -- in our homes, cars, offices and stores. In addition to the toxic chemicals leaching from the PVC itself, like phthalates, another big concern is the dioxins which are released when PVC is burned or incinerated.

"Worried about toxic waste and chemical exposure, more and more companies and hospitals are moving away from polyvinyl chloride. PVC is used in everything from home siding, pipes and flooring to school supplies, car interiors and packaging, electrical cords and medical tubing. But making or burning PVC waste produces dioxins, cancer-causing chemicals that are among the most toxic substances known."

The good news is that some companies and organizations have been working to reduce the amount of PVC being used.

Big names like Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Honda, Wal-Mart, Target and Nike are all working to reduce the amount of PVC they have in their products or on their shelves.

However, we are still a very long way from ridding the world of PVC, phthalates and dioxins.

The article goes on to say, “About 500 million to 600 million pounds of PVC are burned each year”.

In other words – thumbs up for the companies which are working to reduce the use of PVC. But they are only just scratching the surface of the problem, so far.

Read the full article here...