Center for Public Integrity Deceives Readers on Vinyl Chloride

The Center for Public Integrity’s David Heath makes a number of dishonest characterizations about vinyl chloride in his recent report.  And since he failed to ask us any specific questions addressing the real angle of his story prior to publication, we’ll set the record straight here:

Heath omits critical facts. The Texas plant at the center of his report produced a number of different chemicals.  But Heath makes no mention of this in his story, and instead cites vinyl chloride as the “leading suspect” for the serious workplace health issues that occurred – which deserve accurate and thorough analysis. What’s more, if workplace exposure was an industry-wide problem, as he infers, why is there no other example of a similar cluster at a designated vinyl chloride plant, past or present? Heath sidesteps this important fact in his article.

Heath’s thesis is flawed. His story hinges on the assertion that the vinyl chloride industry withheld cluster data from the Texas facility in a key study. But to meet the rigorous scientific standard for epidemiological studies, records would need to show which workers were exposed to which chemicals produced at the plant, and to what degree. One case involving vinyl chloride met this standard – and it was included in the industry study that was accepted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, the remaining cases could not isolate this data. Had the industry included these cases, IARC likely would have rejected the entire study, as the results would have been unreliable.  (Heath fails to point this out for readers, too.)

Heath minimizes contradictory evidence.  Heath cites the vinyl industry study as the primary reason IARC reversed its decision associating vinyl chloride and brain cancer.  But he downplays the fact that IARC based this reversal on “other” studies as well – where the vast amount of research showed a causal connection was inconclusive. Heath’s suggestion that the industry study somehow unduly influenced the IARC reversal disparages the integrity of this highly regarded organization, and its renowned experts – who stake their reputations on their expertise, and impartiality.

Heath irresponsibly infers that the vinyl chloride industry hasn’t evolved.  He spends extraordinary time addressing events that occurred prior to 1974 – yet he makes a fleeting reference to the fact that OSHA regulations, adopted in 1974 and to which industry strictly complies with, reduced the vinyl chloride workplace exposure limit by 500 times.  Separately, Heath notes the total amount of ambient vinyl chloride emissions to provoke reader outrage, but conceals the fact these emissions fall within regulatory limits as set by the EPA.  And he cites two isolated cases – a New Jersey derailment and an isolated groundwater case in Illinois – to make the broad assertion that “the question of [vinyl chloride’s] health effects remain relevant.” Such statements mischaracterize the enormous efforts by the vinyl industry in recent decades to protect public health by reducing vinyl chloride plant emissions by 83% since 1987 (according to EPA TRI data) while resin production simultaneously increased 82% and the strict monitoring and control  to minimize worker exposure levels.

Does CPI Oppose REACH? The Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) has been hailed for strengthening regulations on chemical manufacturers throughout Europe. And a central REACH provision requires industry to fund and conduct its own studies, instead of making governments pay for them. Based on Heath’s skepticism of industry-backed studies, are readers to assume he and CPI oppose this landmark legislation?

Center for Public Integrity is a privately funded ideological organization – not an objective news outlet.  CPI is funded by a network of anti-chemical industry donors, including the Adessium Foundation -- which supports initiatives promoting the “use of alternative raw materials instead of plastic.” And the Park Foundation, which gives grants to anti-chemical groups across the country. CPI also receives money from George Soros – who funds a wide number of alarmist groups that have long opposed the vinyl industry, including the Environmental Working Group and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families. Readers are right to wonder how CPI could possibly cover chemical topics in a fair and objective manner when many of its key donors are ideologically aligned against the entire industry.

If Heath wanted his readers to have the facts, he would have asked us to respond to a list of specific questions that could have provided better balance and perspective for his story. We would have gladly replied to questions seeking information about the way the industry has improved workplace safety measures, how plants have sizably reduced emissions over the years, and the number of steps our industry has taken as part of our commitment to protect public heath.

But he didn’t ask us any of these questions prior to publication. Instead, he only asked if we were familiar with that obscure vinyl industry study, the one he uses to distort the facts and deceive his readership.   

Reasonable observers would question whether that’s the work of an objective journalist – or someone in pursuit of a personal or professional agenda.

There They Go Again…

Green Builder Media is the latest outlet to regurgitate the baseless, alarmist rhetoric against PVC by Perkins & Will and Healthy Building Network (HBN) – claims we have previously debunked on Vinyl Verified.  Aside from Green Builder’s lack of originality, the article recklessly promotes the misleading findings of a 2015 HBN flawed paper.

And it conceals the fact that Perkins & Will Principal / HBN Board Chair, Robin Guenther, doubles as a Senior Advisor to the staunch anti-PVC advocacy group Health Care Without Harm.  A fact, we believe, readers deserve to know – and one that precludes HBN from being viewed as a credible resource on PVC related issues.

Let’s dissect Green Builder’s most irresponsible claims: 

Green Builder Media’s “report” is nothing more than ideological opinion sourced from HBN’s flawed white paper, and the irresponsible promotion of agenda-driven activism. 

ACCE: All Materials Must Be Considered To Rebuild Flint’s Water Pipes

Hon. Jon Russell with American City County Exchange (ACCE) recently addressed the need for fair and open competition as Flint replaces its aging metallic pipes: "Is the local, state and federal government going to just replace the iron pipes with new iron pipes? Or are they going to open up the bidding process to fair and competitive bidding to include a variety of piping materials, which will allow the best quality and best-priced piping material to replace the old? The ductile iron pipe industry is known for its heavy lobbying and campaign contributions to elected officials and courting of public works directors and utility engineers, which serves to skew the bidding process in their favor in many municipalities in the United States. Given the current crisis in Flint, it is incumbent on every elected official to make sure all industries are considered in the rebuilding of Flint’s water system, and not just the politically connected."

Red Listers Exposed

DIPRA Just Proved Why This Site Is Necessary

Correcting falsehoods about PVC is why we built Vinyl Verified.  And the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) just validated the need for this platform.

A recent DIPRA blog post irresponsibly deceives readers about PVC. In it, DIPRA not only blatantly disregards the facts about our material, but also conceals a core failure of iron pipe noted in the very article the group props up to promote its dishonest arguments.

The article DIPRA references quotes a Marshfield, MA public official stating that salt water may have “rotted out” the bottom of a local iron pipe that had split.  But that reference is conveniently missing from DIPRA’s blog post, which makes a number of unfounded assertions regarding PVC’s ability to withstand colder temperatures.

Let’s review the facts:

PVC pipes are not disproportionately vulnerable to cold weather. It’s why PVC pipes are extensively used in Canada and northern U.S. cities. Calgary and Edmonton switched to PVC piping for its durability in cold weather and reduced costs. And cities in the U.S., from Alaska to Colorado to Maine, have also successfully made the switch to PVC.

PVC pipes have the lowest break rates. Studies show PVC pipes have the lowest break rates compared to other pipe materials. PVC had only 2.6 breaks per year for every 100 miles of pipe. Iron piping fared much worse - with ductile iron having 4.9 breaks and cast iron with 24.4 breaks.  A study by the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada reports that the average break rate per 100 miles of pipe for ductile iron is 15.87, compared to PVC at only 1.17 breaks over the same distance. And the NRC report shows that ductile iron pipe breaks 13.57 times more than PVC pipe – a differential that has a significant impact on overall repair costs.

PVC piping has a design life of 100 years or more. PVC pipe not only has a 100-year + life span, but municipalities using PVC pipes have experienced savings in the order of 30 to 70 percent compared to ductile iron piping. Since PVC is corrosion-proof and does not degrade over time, operations and maintenance costs are much lower than for iron pipes which have to be replaced and repaired frequently. Corroding metallic pipes are the major cause of water leaks in underground piping networks. While PVC is non-corrosive and the thickness of the pipe wall does not impact corrosion, metallic pipes - such as cast iron - are vulnerable to environmental conditions. Ductile iron pipe fares far worse, having a wall thickness of only one-fifth that of cast iron.*

PVC can perform in any soil condition. When installation guidelines are properly followed, PVC piping has a 100-year lifespan, regardless of the conditions. But DIPRA doesn’t want readers to know that the most common type of ductile iron pipes have a life expectancy of only 11 to 14 years in moderately corrosive soils. That’s why the city of Indianapolis, IN found that PVC water piping was 2.5 times more successful than tradition materials that corrode and increase costs.

More municipalities are switching to PVC pipe. The City of Burton, MI, is replacing its dilapidated iron pipe with PVC pipes, and the Mayor was recently recognized with the 2015 Innovation in Infrastructure and Technology award from the Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission for leading this initiative. Using PVC instead of ductile iron pipe will save taxpayers almost $2.2 million when all five phases of Burton’s 19-mile iron pipe replacement project are completed.

PVC Pipe Doesn’t Leach Toxins Into the Water Supply. PVC pipe has been verified by NSF International and is designed to minimize environmental impacts due to its corrosion resistance. PVC pipe and fittings are resistant to chemicals generally found in water and sewer systems, preventing any leaching or releases to ground and surface water during the use of the piping system.

Ductile Iron Pipe Is Thinner Today, Contributing to Its “Shorter Useful Life”:  According to a National Taxpayers Union (NTU) study, “ … the thinner wall of ductile iron pipe is one of the factors that contribute to its shorter useful life compared to cast iron. Historically, the extra thickness of the cast iron pipe provided more metal for corrosion to attack (i.e., a corrosion allowance). As shown in the chart below, the historical wall thickness difference in some cases can be as much as 75 percent thinner for a similar pressure and diameter pipe. If the wall thickness of ductile iron is only one-fifth of the cast iron wall thickness and the corrosion rate is the same, then the expected life of ductile iron will be substantially less than for cast iron in similar corrosive environments. The difference in wall thickness is one consideration that must be taken into account during corrosion evaluations and selection of control methods. Some utilities are specifying increased ductile iron pressure classes for additional wall thickness in an attempt to provide a larger corrosion allowance.”  

“The walls of ductile iron pipe are made thinner than cast iron, a 76 percent reduction in wall thickness since 1908. ... The simple fact is that thinner metallic pipes, under similar soil and moisture conditions, corrode and fail more quickly than their thicker cast iron predecessors.”

— U.S. Conference Of Mayors

“Nearly 75 percent of all utilities have corrosive soil conditions and combined with a high portion of old cast iron and ductile iron pipes, corrosion is ranked the second-highest reason for water main pipe failure in the United States. When comparing older cast iron and newer ductile iron, thinner-walled ductile iron is experiencing failures more rapidly.”

— Steven Folkman, Utah State University

*Courtesy of National Taxpayers Union  

PVC Is Cost Efficient: Pleasanton, CA Mayor, Jennifer Hosterman, noted that use of ductile iron pipe for repairs and infrastructure expansion “greatly increased initial material and placement costs.” Since 2001, more than 90 percent of Pleasanton’s pipe installations have included “corrosion-proof” PVC, which, according to the city’s construction manager, is “about 70 percent cheaper than ductile iron.” Today, PVC represents nearly one third of the city’s water and wastewater lines.  

We understand DIPRA has a financial motivation to protect its own interests. But that doesn’t give it the right to misinform the public by mischaracterizing PVC. It’s important to know the facts about PVC, and we will continue to use this forum, Vinyl Verified, to advance them moving forward.

HBN: Healthy Building Network… Or Hardly Believable Nonsense?

The Healthy Building Network (HBN) attracted headlines in a recent report that distorted the facts about PVC. And since the press declined to objectively question the group’s dishonest claims, we'll highlight their mistakes. 

FACT-CHECKING DIPRA'S IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENTS ON PVC

Click above to view our DIPRA Redliner

As PVC continues to replace deteriorating iron water lines across America, it’s no surprise the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) would have a few things to say. Here are some of DIPRA’s comments on PVC, along with the facts to set the record straight.