PVC & DISPOSAL ISSUES

Perhaps the biggest contemporary threat to PVC is the issue of its disposal particularly from municipal solid waste (MSW). The major volumes of PVC are used in products like Pipes, Profiles and Cables which have a long life-almost extending upto 50-100 years. PVC in packaging and disposable application (short life products) does not exceed 10-15% of the total consumption. Latest figures for 2000-01 show that "short life" PVC Products form only 8% of total PVC produced. Details are worked out in the following table. It is therefore not surprising to observe that PVC component in municipal waste is lowest (less than 0.5% by weight). PVC on account of its high chlorine content is considered by the environmentalist to be obnoxious. However the fact remains that its presence at such low levels in municipal waste streams could not cause any significant problems. It is argued that PVC (because of its chlorine) when burnt can form HCI and an organic chloride product called Dioxin (2, 3, 7, 8 - tetrachlorodibenzo-o-dioxin).