Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is commonly referred to as PVC and vinyl not only in reference to the polymer but also for all materials that polyvinyl chloride is a component of. Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic with unlimited applications. Currently, it is one of the most valuable products of the petrochemical industry. Generally, more than 50% of human-made PVC is used in construction because PVC is inexpensive and easily assembled.

In recent years, PVC has replaced traditional construction materials such as wood, cement, and tile in many areas. Despite the emergence of an ideal material in construction, there are still concerns regarding the cost of PVC for the natural environment and human health. Numerous applications for PVC include vinyl siding, magnetic signs for cards, vertical window trims, gramophone records which are the source of naming for vinyl records, pipes, plumbing, ducts, and installable fittings, inexpensive bags, blackout windows (without visibility), and in its soft form for clothing, furniture [PVC pipe] such as curtains, flooring, and ceiling construction, the sheathing of electrical cables, and lightweight play balls. It is also a material that is often used for water and sewage piping due to its natural low cost and flexibility.

PVC is a rigid plastic that becomes soft and flexible by adding plasticizers, the most commonly used being phthalate. Before the twentieth century, Russian chemist Ivan Struve-Miselinski and Fritz Kliet from the German company Grisham Electron Chemistry both attempted to utilize PVC in commercial products, but issues in processing, rigidity, and sometimes brittleness of the polymer rendered their efforts fruitless. In 1926, Waldo Simon from B.F. Goodrich developed a method for softening PVC by mixing it with various additives. The result was a flexible material that easily participated in processes and soon became widespread in commercial uses.

The vinyl chloride monomer in the late 1960s was clearly identified as carcinogenic to humans by Dr. John Grich and Dr. Maurice Johnson when they tested it on workers in the vinyl chloride polymerization circle at B.F. Goodrich. It is believed that most vinyl products are generally harmless when used properly, although several additives and plasticizers from the vinyl product can leach out. Even though PVC has been used to make soft toys for infants for years, there is concern that these additives may leach from the soft toys into the mouths of children who put them in their mouths.

PVC products can release harmful substances when burned or buried. In January 2003, the European Union imposed a ban on six types of phthalate plasticizers in toys. In 2006, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission denied a petition for a similar ban in the United States. Nevertheless, in America, most companies voluntarily ceased the production of PVC toys for infants.

What is PVC?

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