title: PVC Production And Use

 

Disposal of PVC waste

 

As with any other product, PVC must be disposed when it comes to the end of its useful life. Environmental groups argue that when incinerated, PVC produces harmful dioxins. These are also dangerous in fires when PVC burns to produce toxic fumes.

Greenpeace estimate that by 2005 there will be approximately 300 million tonnes of PVC waste to deal with world wide.

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Incineration and fire

symbol: environment
Burning PVC wastes causes emissions of the green house gas carbon dioxide, dioxins, PCB's and other toxins. According to Greenpeace, PVC incineration in Germany releases more lead into the environment than leaded petrol and is the main source of cadmium emissions.

Uncontrolled fires cause a release of tixic fumes that can kill people and cause pollution.

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Scientific studies have shown that removing PVC from incinerators does not reduce the amount of dioxin emitted. Chlorine from other sources, such as paper and vegetable waste have more of an effect. Modern incinerators can be regulated to minimise dioxin emissions.

PVC in accidental fires is actually difficult ro burn. It is often used in buildings because of its fire prevention properties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Landfill and recycling

symbol: environment
Greenpeace says PVC recycling is less than 1% of consumption and it is not even praactical for 70 - 85% of PVC waste. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of PVC waste needs to be disposed of by incineration or in land fill sites each year.

PVC does not readily decompose and additives from PVC in landfills can contaminate soil and groundwater.

symbol: scientific studies
PVC accounts for less than 1% of all the domestic waste in the EU. There are successful recycling schemes in many European countries. The PVC recovered can be used in products like windows, flooring, pipes, bottles or clothing.

A research programme looked at PVC in landfill sites and found no evidence of pollution caused by additives or stabilisers leaching out of PVC.