This information reflects our best understanding of product composition in 2020.
Plastic materials made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are widely used in the building industry, as well as in electronics and other consumer products. PVC can be classified as rigid or flexible. Flexible applications for PVC include floor coverings...
Plastic materials made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are widely used in the building industry, as well as in electronics and other consumer products. PVC can be classified as rigid or flexible. Flexible applications for PVC include floor coverings, wire and cable insulation, synthetic leather, roofing membranes, wall coverings, and cover a wide array of consumer products. In order to make PVC flexible, plasticizers must be added to it. Other additives will vary by application but include flame retardants, stabilizers, and biocides. PVC can be chemically or mechanically recycled. Mechanical recycling is more common and does not remove additives. Consequently, the chemical composition of the recyclate will be similar to that of the material from which it originated. This Common Product covers post-consumer flexible PVC from non-specific recycled feedstocks. The US EPA reports that the useful life of PVC products is 20 to 50 years. As a result, this Common Product considers chemicals that have historically been used in different types of PVC products, as well as chemicals that are currently in use.
Chemicals of concern that have historically been used in PVC include orthophthalate plasticizers and lead- and cadmium-based stabilizers. Previously it was common to use polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) flame retardants in cable and wire insulation in the United States. These were banned from production in the U.S. in 1979. In addition, waste containing PCBs at a concentration of 50 mg/kg (ppm) or more is considered to be hazardous under the Basel Convention. The Basel Convention is a multilateral agreement governing the trade of waste to which the U.S. is a signatory. It is intended to minimize the possibility of illegally handling or abandoning hazardous wastes. PVC feedstock from wire and cable insulation, or undefined and mixed sources may still be contaminated by PCBs present at concentrations lower than this. Because of the potential for post-consumer PVC to introduce legacy chemicals such as these and others, this Common Product reports all chemicals identified in our research and meeting our reporting criteria for common content. Some additional chemicals are listed in the All Contents. There are likely more chemicals that may be present in mixed PVC feedstock.
Recycled PVC may be used in a variety of products. One of the top markets is in vinyl flooring, where PVC from multiple feedstocks may be used in the bottom layer of products and still allow these products to maintain performance requirements. Due to the concerns over legacy chemicals, however, some flooring manufacturers have placed strict guidelines on what type of post-consumer recycled PVC they incorporate into their products so that these chemicals may be avoided. Details can be found in the reports linked to in the resources tab.
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CASRN | NAME | GS SCORE | TYPE | FREQUENCY | % WT CHEM | % WT PRODUCT | SOURCE | |
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CASRN | NAME | GS Score | TYPE | FREQUENCY | % WT CHEM | % WT PRODUCT | SOURCES | |
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TYPE | TITLE |
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Report | Chlorine & Building Materials Project: Phase 1 Africa, The Americas, and Europe |
Report | Resilient Flooring & Chemical Hazards: A Comparative Analysis of Vinyl and Other Alternatives for Health Care |
Report | Chlorine & Building Materials Project: Phase 2 Asia Including Worldwide Findings |
Report | Healthy Environments: What's New (and What's Not) With PVC |
Report | Post-Consumer Polyvinyl Chloride in Building Products |
Report | Phthalate-free Plasticizers in PVC |
Report | Optimizing Recycling: Criteria for Comparing and Improving Recycled Feedstocks in Building Products |
Report | To Increase The Use Of Recycled Content In Building Products: Reduce Health Hazards & Improve Feedstock Quality |
Tool | Flooring Hazard Spectrum |
Article | "Tens of Millions of Pounds of Phthalates Annually Eliminated from Vinyl Flooring" |
Course | HomeFree Online Course: Selecting Healthier Flooring with HomeFree |
Specification | HomeFree Flooring Specifications |
Course | Webinar: Selecting Healthier Flooring with HomeFree |
Source | Uploaded Document | Linked Document |
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A-C 307 MSDS | ||
ACC letter to CPSC 2009 | ||
Advawax 280 MSDS | ||
AFI US20180327606A1 | ||
AKCROSTAB BZ-4929DC MSDS | ||
Alvinox 176 TDS | ||
American Chemistry Council letter to CPSC re: phthalates (2009) | ||
Armstrong | ||
Armstrong 2010 | ||
Armstrong Patent 3 | ||
Barium Zinc and Related Stabilizers | ||
Basel Convention PCBs | ||
BASF Additives for Specialty Polymers | ||
Bespoke Wall HPD | ||
BNX 1076 TDS | ||
Boa-Franc Toronto HPD | ||
CECBP 2008 | ||
CELEX 02019R1021-20200907 EN TXT. | ||
CFFA SPPR PVC membrane EPD | ||
Chimassorb 2020 TDS | ||
Chimassorb 81 MSDS | ||
Chimassorb 944 TDS | ||
Ciba Tinuvin 213 TDS | ||
Congoleum Silver | ||
Cooley Group 2014 | ||
CoolGuard HRL36 TDS | ||
CPSC 2010 | ||
Cruz et al 2009 | ||
Danish EPA - DEHP - Phthalates in PVC | ||
Denmark | ||
DiMaio 2010 | ||
Discarded | ||
Duro Last What is KEE | ||
Duro-Last 60 mil Membrane PDS | ||
Duro-Last EV 60 mil PDS | ||
Duro-Last Membrane MSDS | ||
Eastman | ||
EC Mechanical Recycling of PVC wastes | ||
ECHA DEHP Alternatives Analysis | ||
ECHA Plastics Additives | ||
Elvaloy 4924 MSDS 2015 | ||
Elvaloy 4924 TDS | ||
Elvaloy 741 MSDS 2012 | ||
Elvaloy 741 MSDS 2015 | ||
Elvaloy 741 TDS | ||
Elvaloy 742 MSDS 2011 | ||
Elvaloy 742 MSDS 2015 | ||
Elvaloy 742 TDS | ||
Elvaloy KEE brochure | ||
EPA 2008 | ||
EPA 2008 | ||
EPA 744-R-08-001 | ||
EPA Cadmium | ||
EPA PCB Press Release | ||
EPA PCBs | ||
EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0573-0078 | ||
EU DEHP Risk Assessment | ||
EverGuard EPD | ||
EverGuard PVC #1094 MSDS | ||
EverGuard PVC #2000 MSDS | ||
EverGuard PVC #2199 MSDS | ||
EverGuard PVC 50 mil TDS | ||
EverGuard PVC Brochure | ||
EverGuard PVC Fleece-back EcoScorecard | ||
Everguard PVC MSDS | ||
EverGuard PVC Smooth EcoScorecard | ||
EverGuard PVC XK 50 mil TDS | ||
EverGuard PVC XK Fleeceback 60 mil TDS | ||
EverGuard TPO/PVC Manual | ||
Factbook | ||
FiberTite 36 mil PDS | ||
FiberTite FB 36 mil PDS | ||
Fibertite MSDS | ||
FiberTite vs PVC | ||
Firestone 1993 | ||
FleeceBACK PVC FRS Membrane PDS | ||
FleeceBACK PVC KEE HP FRS Membrane PDS | ||
Flex FB 45 Elvaloy KEE Roof Membrane PDS | ||
Flex FB 60 PVC Roof Membrane PDS | ||
Flex MF/R 45 Elvaloy KEE Roof Membrane PDS | ||
Flex MF/R 60 PVC Roof Membrane PDS | ||
Foley et al | ||
Forbo | ||
Galata Chemical Mixed Metal Stabilizers Guide |