Across the world, businesses have become more eco-conscious and have turned to environmentally friendly ways. PVC is the third most-produced plastic globally and the use of this plastic has caused more environmental repercussions. A PVC-free material is a material that doesn’t emit noxious, chemical scents or even expose one to harmful toxins when burnt. A majority of PVC-free materials meet health standards.
What are the benefits of a PVC-free material?
PVC-free material is essential to tackle the plastic crisis. PVC contaminates the environment through its manufacturing, use, and disposal process. PVC is not recyclable, therefore, it leads to landfills, and when incinerated, it releases harmful chemicals such as dioxins. On the other hand, products made from PVC-free material are more eco-friendly and their usage doesn’t affect the health of all who come in contact with the product. PVC-free products ensure that the environment, home, and world are moving to a sustainable, safe, and healthy future.
Certification mark for PVC-free products
Businesses and brands certify products and/or packaging to verify that they are 100% plastic-free. This mark informs consumers that the product and/or packaging is an alternative to more environmentally-friendly materials. To be rendered ‘PVC-free’, the product and/or packaging must be manufactured from compostable materials or other materials such as wood, glass, or metal. The ‘PVC-free’ certification mark certifies that the product does not contain any hazardous PVC materials.
Are PVC-free materials recyclable?
Recycled polyester is used to make textiles and clothes, recycled PP is used to make containers, and recycled PET is used to make packaging materials. However, due to technical problems in recycling PP, it is the least recycled.
Examples of PVC-free materials
Some of the substitutes for PVC include traditional materials such as glass, aluminum, clay, wood, bio paper, linoleum, and ceramics. In cases where traditional materials cannot be used as a replacement PET, PP, and polyester can be used.
Different PVC products can be substituted with PVC-free alternatives. These alternatives have been available to suppliers for some time but hadn’t caught the customers’ interest when they first appeared on the market. These include;
| PVC product | PVC-free alternative | ||
| Blinds | Aluminum, Wood | ||
| Wallpaper | Natural fiber | ||
| Windows | Aluminum, Wood | ||
| Medical bags, Tubing | Polyethylene, Silicon, Polypropylene, Polyurethane | ||
| Gloves | Nitrile | ||
| Pipes | Cast Iron, Concrete, Copper, Vitrified Clay, High-density Polyethylene | ||
| Bottles | Glass, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polypropylene (PP), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) | ||
| Cards | BioPaper, paper, BioPVC, wood, leather, metal, PET-G | ||
Conclusion
In our plastic-filled world, it is pretty challenging to avoid plastic. Finding alternatives to common items like plastic bottles and plastic packaging is increasingly becoming easier because people are now more concerned about conserving the environment. PVC-free materials are recyclable, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable, durable, conserve the space used for landfills, decrease carbon footprint, are not harmful to all food chain organisms, and are safe for humans use. Yearly, there is a global economic loss of approximately $80 billion caused by plastic pollution. PVC-free materials will bring this amount down because they are eco-friendly. It’s important to look out for PVC-free alternatives in your daily life to conserve and protect the environment.
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