Ask Philip Morris, the holding company for a tobacco producer who changed its name to the benign, sunny-sounding ‘Altria.’

Or ask my ex-colleagues at Greenpeace.

Chemical researchers in the 1800s inadvertently discovered PVC by leaving vessels of vinyl chloride in sunlight, which polymerized the monomer into rigid solids. Scientists examined the material but could think of no use for it.

August 2nd, 2007

Madison’s Dan Fenelon gives shelter youth a cool way to express themselves

Lorraine Ash
The Daily Record
May 10, 2007

The urban vinyl movement, just hitting the East Coast, features painting plain white vinyl doll figures.  Fenelon’s commercial collections — a custom vinyl doll sells for $700 — are colorful and embrace fun themes from sci-fi to surfing.

Q: Our new house is framed, and we just noticed that our builder is using plastic instead of copper piping for the plumbing throughout our new house. This surprised me - I hadn't seen this before. What do the pros think of plastic plumbing pipes? Is it as good or better than copper?

A: It is the piping of the future. Whether or not plastic is better than copper depends upon whom you ask. If you ask me, I'll say plastic. I'll tell you why. When piping water started out several thousand years ago the materials available were basically clay and/or lead. Hence the name of the person who installs pipe: a plumber, which comes from the Latin word for lead, plumbum.

Good news! From the continent that has banned or restricted some phthalates? Yes, indeed.

Those bans and restrictions were voted by legislators, but when Europe’s health and science experts got together to review the safety of phthalates as they are used today, the news is very positive.

Replacing poor quality windows in Europe with energy-efficient PVC frames could save 8.5m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, according to an industry sponsored study released in Brussels last Wednesday. The study is intended to highlight the green credentials of PVC as a construction material amidst growing debate over the climate impacts of buildings. In 2004, the European commission concluded that the choice of material for efficient window frame was "of rather minor importance" compared with the overall design. EPPA, tel: +32 2 739 6384, plus study.

Arlington, Va., Oct. 25, 2006—WasteCap Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization that provides waste handling, reduction and recycling assistance to businesses, honored the Vinyl Institute (VI) Oct. 12 with the Innovative Achievement Award for its role in implementing a vinyl siding scrap recycling program in Wisconsin. 

Cited for “outstanding efforts and success in market development,” VI was called “a pioneer in researching the possibilities for vinyl scrap and is emerging as a leader in developing a market for this important and widely used material.” 

Re: Writer puts ideology over safety

Elizabeth Dickinson's Oct. 6 letter about Target's "refusal" to phase out PVC plastic is so misleading it's hard to address ("Phase out PVC plastic"). Anti-business activists load terms like "toxic" on anything they don't like, whereas consumers know the benefits and safety of vinyl (PVC) windows, flooring, siding, pipe and other products. Activists like to claim products "are linked" to "health problems" whereas government agencies like the Consumer Product Safety Commission have found vinyl safe and effective in toys and other products. Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore sees attacks like this reflecting a political agenda, not real health or environmental issues.

These claims are meant to intimidate consumers and retailers, ultimately depriving them of choice. Target should be applauded for putting its customers' interests above untruthful, bullying threats from people with an ideological agenda.

TIM BURNS, President of the Vinyl Institute
Arlington, Va.