Vinyl Institute Prepared to Work with EPA on VInyl Chloride Risk Evaluation

The Vinyl Institute this week responded to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcement that vinyl chloride will be one of the next five chemicals selected for prioritization under the Toxic Substances Control Act. 

Below is a statement to be attributed to Ned Monroe, president and CEO of the Vinyl Institute: 

“Vinyl Institute and our members are fully prepared to work with the EPA during both prioritization and risk evaluation of vinyl chloride. The Agency’s prioritization of vinyl chloride is no surprise to us because it has been part of EPA’s work plan since 2012. The Vinyl Institute has indicated our strong interest to be engaged in the process early, and to serve as a collaborative resource for the Agency to proactively identify and address any information needs that would expedite a high-quality risk evaluation.  

“The Vinyl Institute is already supporting the risk evaluation process for other substances under review by EPA. As the Agency has noted, selection for prioritization is not a finding that an unreasonable risk is presented, but the start of a multi-year review process to assess potential risks. 

“There is an extensive body of research and data about vinyl chloride that will support the prioritization and risk evaluation process. This is an opportunity to correct any misunderstanding about the regulation of vinyl chloride manufacturing and the safety of PVC products. 

“We believe this risk evaluation will further assure that the production of vinyl chloride and use of PVC products are safe. Manufacturers of vinyl chloride adhere to some of the most stringent safety and environmental regulations in the chemical industry.  

“The greatest potential for vinyl chloride exposure is for workers at vinyl chloride monomer and PVC production facilities. In the mid-1970s, the industry implemented closed-loop technology and both OSHA and EPA enacted regulations to effectively protect American workers, and downstream users, of American-made PVC.” 

About the Vinyl Institute 

The Vinyl Institute (VI), founded in 1982, is a U.S. trade association representing the leading manufacturers of vinyl, vinyl chloride monomer, vinyl additives, and modifiers. The VI works on behalf of its members to promote the benefits of the world’s most versatile plastic, used to make everything from PVC piping to flooring, roofing and vinyl siding. The vinyl industry in the United States employs over 350,000 highly skilled employees at nearly 3,000 facilities and generates an economic value of $54 billion. For more information, visit vinylinfo.org. 

As old iron water mains fail, more cities turn to PVC

It’s an all-too-common summer story. Towns and cities that depend on iron water mains waste millions of gallons of treated water as their dated infrastructure fails under the stress of blistering temperatures. These pipe failures deprive residents of the drinking water they need and cost taxpayers and ratepayers a small fortune to repair. 

The good news is that municipalities across North America are replacing their crippled iron water infrastructure with affordable, durable PVC piping. But don’t take our word for it; here’s just a sample of the real-world stories that illustrate PVC’s value. 

Iron pipes and Texas summers: a costly combo

Last month, thousands of Texans saw firsthand how decrepit water infrastructure can impact everyday life. “Dry, hot weather causing Dallas-area water main breaks,” Axios reported on August 21. Soaring water use driven by intense summer heat led to “hundreds” of leaks in aging cast-iron pipes, forcing residents to endure mandatory use restrictions and boil drinking water to prevent contamination—as temperatures hit 114 degrees fahrenheit.

Area water utilities plugged these leaks throughout August, but the problem stretches across the region. According to the Texas Water Authority,  “the state lost about 132 million gallons of water from breaks and leaks” in 2021. In 2023 alone, Fort Worth endured 370 main breaks, with 130 occurring between July 13 and August 13. Fed up with these unsustainable circumstances, Fort Worth is “working to replace” its 800-mile network of cast-iron water pipes with PVC, Axios added. 

Dallas-Fort Worth isn’t the only region of Texas that has recently turned to PVC. West University Place, a sprawling suburb just outside Houston, invested $2.5 million this year to replace “approximately 2,400 linear feet of aged cast iron pipes with new and larger PVC pipes,” NPR noted in late August.

Like its neighbors to the north, the city recognizes that 80-year-old iron pipes and intense weather are a risky combination.  The upgraded PVC piping “will enhance our water distribution capabilities,” Mayor Susan Sample declared. 

Why PVC?

These stories are part of a larger trend of communities across North America—big and small, rural and urban—upgrading their water distribution systems with PVC. From California and Texas to Michigan and Ontario, these municipalities understand that PVC is a sustainable, affordable material that can reliably deliver clean drinking water to their residents. Relying on inferior alternatives simply isn’t worth the risk. 

Victory For Science: FDA Again Denies Petition to Ban Phthalates in Food Packaging

The U.S. FDA recently reaffirmed its denial of an activist petition seeking a ban on eight ortho-phthalates. The Flexible Vinyl Alliance offers its thoughts:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) denied a petition on July 21, 2023 requesting that the agency reconsider its denial of a citizen petition issued on May 19, 2022.

The citizen petition requested a ban on the use of eight ortho-phthalates and revocation of the prior sanctioned uses for five other ortho-phthalates in food based on alleged safety concerns.

In denying the latest citizen petition, FDA concluded "that it does not provide a basis for modifying the FDA's response to the original petition (of May 19, 2022)."

An industry petition from the Flexible Vinyl Alliance (FVA), also granted on May 19, 2022 removed 25 phthalates from authorized use due to lack of use and kept authorizations for five. As stated by FDA at that time "… based on the information currently available to FDA, we do not have a basis to conclude that dietary exposure levels from approved orthophthalates exceed a safe level…" 

"We are pleased that FDA has again relied on the most up-to-date data on these substances, including data provided by FVA members, in their evaluation of these materials, minimally used in food contact," said Kevin Ott, Executive Director of FVA. "We will continue to ensure the safe use of these materials in accordance with ongoing FDA food contact regulations."

"It's also apparent, in denying the citizen petition today, that the FDA came down, again, on the side of science and data, in making its decision," said Ott. "Beginning many years ago, industry permanently moved on to manufacturing next generation substances for food packaging that are supported by science and demonstrate safety." In its December 22, 2022 filing to the docket in regard to the subject citizen petition, which can be viewed here, FVA detailed the substantive data and science underscoring the safety of phthalates in food contact

Dr. Joe Schwarcz says he's not worried about phthalates—here's why

Dr. Joe Schwarcz, a legend in the field of science communication and the director of McGill's Office for Science and Society, did what so few journalists and commentators are willing to do when it comes to phthalates: look at the evidence and share this science-based analysis with readers of the Montreal Gazette. Following that approach led Schwarcz to a simple conclusion—as used today, phthalates pose little risk to human health, though we should always be open to new evidence as it arises.

The controversy begins

So how exactly did phthalates, chemicals used to make plastic more flexible, become the objects of so much negative press? Schwarcz offered a helpful history lesson:

“Concerns about phthalates began to be raised in the 1970s when they were detected in blood samples from patients who had been treated with intravenous fluids stored in PVC bags. When biomonitoring studies revealed that phthalates and their metabolites were detected in almost everyone’s urine, scientists quickly organized studies to explore the effects of these chemicals on health.

Experiments using cultures and animals revealed that phthalates, to varying extents, had hormone disrupting properties. This was corroborated by some observational studies in people that linked higher levels of phthalates in the blood of pregnant women to developmental problems in their male offspring, such as smaller penis size.”

These were concerning results that sparked legitimate questions about the potential risks of phthalate exposure. But, Schwarcz continued, there's much more to the story. Perhaps most importantly, the correlation posited in these studies was not evidence of causation:

“Let’s start by pointing out the obvious. An association does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. A classic example is the correlation of ice cream sales with drownings. Ice cream sales increase in the summer as do drownings, but people do not drown because they have eaten ice cream. So while phthalates may correlate with early death, there may be a number of confounding factors.”

Confounding factors everywhere

But if phthalate exposure isn't to blame for these negative health effects, what is? There are probably several other variables that offer a better explanation, according to Schwarcz:

For example, most of the phthalates that show up in our urine come from our diet because food is exposed to all sorts of plasticized substances ranging from flexible packaging and machine parts to vinyl containers. People who have a higher calorie intake will therefore have more phthalates in their urine, and it could well be that it is the higher calorie intake and not the phthalates that leads to an earlier death.

Also, greater consumption of processed foods is likely to result in more phthalates in the urine, but it can also signal a higher salt intake and it may then be the salt that leads to higher blood pressure and premature death, meaning that a correlation with phthalates may just be spurious.

What the science does (or doesn't) say

When responding to misleading media coverage, we often stress that studies raising concerns about phthalates aren't nearly as conclusive as portrayed by the press. Schwarcz cited three important limitations in the early research on phthalates that restrict the conclusions we should draw from it:

“The urine samples were taken at just one point in time and it was that single phthalate level that was used to forge the correlation with early death. But phthalates are quickly metabolized and excreted in the urine, so urine levels can vary depending on when the last meal was consumed.

“Also, lumping all phthalates together can skew results because there are significant differences in the physiological properties of different phthalates, and the ones that have raised the most concern have been mostly eliminated since the ... samples in the study were taken.”

“On top of this, the actual correlation found was statistically quite weak, and importantly, when subjects with known cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study were eliminated, the correlation between early death and phthalates disappeared.”

Schwarcz added important perspective in his summation:

“Lack of sleep, too much sitting and lack of proper hydration have also been linked to poor health outcomes so that targeting phthalates, or indeed any other single substance or lifestyle factor, as being specifically responsible for disrupting health is unjustified.”

The takeaway, as always, is that we should employ a little skepticism when reading headlines and scrolling through our social media feeds. Critical thinking is our best defense against the morass of misinformation that proliferates across the internet.

News Coverage Highlights Vinyl as Leading Building, Water Infrastructure Material

Often the work we do here at Vinyl Verified focuses on exposing flaws in news coverage about the vinyl industry and PVC material. So it came as a breath of fresh air to see two recent stories in Plastics News correctly noting the increasing popularity of vinyl siding and PVC pipe, evidenced by the recent boom in manufacturing and production.

The articles cite the growing demand for materials made with vinyl, specifically vinyl siding and PVC water and wastewater pipes. The facts are clear – whether in residential or commercial construction or to improve city infrastructure, vinyl’s proven performance and environmental sustainability have propelled it to become one of the most desired building and water system materials available today.

PVC Pipes for Water Infrastructure

Plastics News reports vinyl manufacturers were already “rushing to fill orders” but are now seeing even more demand because of the “$55 billion going to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure” as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The coverage highlights how PVC pipes play a significant role in rebuilding our nation’s water and wastewater lines:

“PVC pipes make up the largest share of new miles installed for both the water and wastewater markets, according to Boston-based Bluefield Research. The firm tracks pipes made from PVC, HDPE and molecularly oriented PVC (PVCO.) In 2022, Bluefield forecast PVC will have a 62.3 percent share of the miles of water pipe installed…”

Experts cited by Plastics News note technology improvements have led to better manufacturing processes and the development of more affordable products. Lauren Balsamo, an industry analyst with Bluefield Research, was quoted as saying:

"Price is a big part of it as well as materials becoming more advanced," Balsamo said. "With technological advances, the plastic pipes are becoming stronger and more durable. They're not just beneficial from a cost standpoint but from a longevity standpoint compared to when they first entered the market."

Plastics News also cited the environmental efforts undertaken by the industry to reduce vinyl’s carbon footprint and improve sustainability:

The North American PVC pipe sector has renewed its 2015 Environmental Product Declaration and will be publishing a revised EPD later in 2022 that complies with ISO 14025 standards and was independently certified by global health organization NSF International.

There has been an overall 6 percent reduction of embodied carbon and most other environmental impacts compared with the 2015 study thanks to improvements in PVC pipe manufacturing and upstream production of PVC resin, according to Uni-Bell.

"The 2015 EPD already established that PVC pipe was the piping material with the lowest carbon footprint and the 2022 study reconfirms this," Hollands said. [Bruce Hollands is the executive director of the Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association.]

Building New Homes with Vinyl

Another Plastics News story highlights recent U.S. Census data showing vinyl siding as the top choice for one in four homes – roughly 253,000 new single-family residences – built in 2021. That number was even higher in New England where 76% of new homes were constructed with vinyl siding.

Many homeowners who renovated during the pandemic discovered that investing in vinyl was profitable when it came time to sell, as Plastics News notes:

[Steve] Booz [marketing and product program management director for Westlake Royal Building Products] said many buyers are putting home equity into vinyl siding repair as a good return. He pointed to Zonda Media's annual Cost vs. Value Report, which shows exterior replacement projects on a multiyear streak of delivering the best return on investment for homeowners. Of the 22 remodeling projects in the report, 11 are exterior replacement projects, all of which rank within the top 12 projects.

Zonda says homeowners recoup 67.2 percent of their vinyl siding replacement costs, which are about $18,600.

"Vinyl siding brings people a lot of value in terms of resale and home appreciation," Booz said. "We've added colors, and that keeps the market interested as well. We always try to stay on trend and even help create the trends with our vinyl siding."

Plastics News also points out how education and information sharing helps manufacturers make better choices in sourcing materials and their production processes. Combined, these efforts are making a positive contribution to reducing vinyl’s environmental footprint:

Vinyl siding is a good choice when it comes to affordability and sustainability, according to Matt Dobson, vice president of the Vinyl Siding Institute Inc. trade group.

"We, just like everyone else in the residential market, are keenly aware of the current decline in new construction and increase in interest rates," Dobson said in an email. "But as housing affordability continues to be an issue, we remain excited that they will continue to look towards our industry's products for solutions on both affordability and other issues like sustainability."

The vinyl industry has been the leader in the cladding industry at pushing through more transparency regarding sustainability, Dobson said, pointing to the pending release of the third edition of Environmental Product Declarations for vinyl siding, polypropylene siding and insulated siding.

"As part of this exercise, we are focused strongly on embodied carbon and how building materials play a role relative to climate change," Dobson said. "We are partnering with Building Transparency to produce an online portal for cladding that helps to create a stronger understanding of how material selection can be a part of improving our impact on the environment."

Activists' arguments are not resonating

Activists continue to spread misinformation about vinyl materials, but their arguments don’t hold up to scientific scrutiny. None of their claims can stack up to PVC’s track record, which has been safely used in water pipes for half a century and as a building material for more than twenty years.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the boom in vinyl production occurring today is that it sends a clear message: the public isn’t being influenced by the deceptive statements put forth by the entrenched anti-vinyl community.

For years vinyl opponents have perpetuated inaccurate and misleading statements about vinyl in a failed effort to persuade consumers, builders and city managers to deselect the material. But the financial numbers tell a different story. The PVC pipe and vinyl siding sectors are experiencing great success for good reason — their products are high quality, built to last, reasonably priced, environmentally responsible, and can withstand the most punishing weather conditions. The boom in production is proof that public, commercial and municipal buyers of vinyl products are ignoring the empty rhetoric of vinyl naysayers, opting instead for the one material they know can do the job better than any other material on the market today.

The trend of vinyl’s growing popularity as a leading building and infrastructure material is no surprise to us – consumers and city managers alike have been turning to vinyl for years because of the material’s rugged durability, versatility and reliability. But it’s a trend outlets rarely choose to acknowledge. We commend Plastics News for acknowledging the facts about our industry – and we challenge others to do the same.

Monroe: Plastics industry should support federal infrastructure spending

In a recent piece for Plastics News, Ned Monroe makes the case for water infrastructure investment and the need for PVC pipe to address our infrastructure needs:

Our nation's water system is failing. And unless the plastics industry takes an active role in supporting full federal funding for our nation's crumbling infrastructure, we will miss a historic moment to innovate and modernize America's water systems. Our advocacy to Congress can bring safe, reliable and affordable water service to millions of Americans for the next century and beyond.

The nation is facing an infrastructure crisis, and the need for action is now. Our bridges are on the point of collapse. Our roads are filled with potholes and need refurbishing. The Report Card for America's Infrastructure reports that "growing wear and tear on our nation's roads have left 43 percent of our public roadways in poor or mediocre condition, a number that has remained stagnant over the past several years." Our transportation system is so bad it's delaying delivery of much-needed materials to customers.

Specific to water, the American Water Works Association estimates more than 240,000 water main breaks occur each year, wasting 2 trillion gallons of treated drinking water annually. The American Society of Civil Engineers notes that a water main break happens every two minutes...

Continue reading at Plastics News.

Getting it Right on Phthalates

Some agenda-driven organizations continue to spread misinformation about PVC and phthalates. Their misleading claims are packaged in stylized reports, flawed ‘studies,’ and listicle-ish score cards that are heavy on fear-mongering and light on facts. These resources, which make for easily-digestible soundbites, often over simplify, omit key information, present one-sided narratives, and elevate biased sources who are neither scientifically reliable nor neutral authorities. 

Unfortunately, this misinformation often makes its way into news coverage where such outlandish claims are presented uncritically. While they make for attention-getting headlines (“Do you know what’s in your toothbrush?”) and ready-made talking points for news outlets, they mislead readers and generate unnecessary and unwarranted concerns. 

We get it; these issues are complex and hard to cover. We also don’t expect reporters to be experts in chemical engineering. That’s why it’s important for journalists to stick to their ethical standards of balance, objectivity, accuracy, and fairness when covering these activist reports. 

We want to help. An easy way to ensure sound reporting on these issues is to seek a response from organizations like ours so we can provide the other side of the story, with substantiation. 

That’s why we’re publishing this collection of helpful information that includes answers to common questions and factual corrections to frequent errors. Our mission is to make sure that the best available information makes it into the public discourse. We hope this will be a helpful tool for reporters covering phthalates, and we’re happy to provide additional information, context, and comment to anyone who asks. 

The Basics

What Are Phthalates?

Phthalates are a family of compounds which are used to soften or “plasticize” vinyl (PVC). Phthalates are held in the structure of vinyl products. Various forces hold the phthalate within the vinyl matrix. Under normal use, migration of these phthalate compounds rarely occurs, and, under extreme conditions, these forces ensure that it occurs at a very low rate. Phthalates help to keep products flexible and in service for years or even decades.

What Kinds of Products Use Phthalates?

First, phthalates are a class of chemicals made up of dozens of specific compounds, each of which has specific usage properties designed for different applications. When discussing phthalates, it’s important to make this distinction clear and not conflate specific compounds with the class as a whole.

Phthalates are most commonly used in flexible plastic products and in cosmetics, but it’s important to note that the phthalates used in cosmetic products are different than those used in flexible plastic products. 

Are Phthalates Safe?

Phthalates have been safely used in consumer and commercial products for more than 50 years to enhance durability, flexibility, and performance. Phthalates are some of the most tested substances in the world. Phthalate use is regulated, but not all phthalates are regulated in the same manner across the globe. 

Rigorous risk assessments by multiple government agencies in the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia have concluded that many phthalates present a low-risk for their current intended uses.

Common Mistakes

We see a lot of inaccuracies in news coverage of phthalates and vinyl products. Here are common ones to avoid:

U.S. vinyl flooring manufacturers VOLUNTARILY removed phthalates from their products. Vinyl flooring manufacturers in the U.S. voluntarily phased out the use of phthalates more than five years ago. This was a business decision - they were not forced to do it, nor was there any regulation that required them to take this action. 

Phthalates ARE NOT found in RIGID PVC. We frequently see reporters and agenda-driven opponents of PVC inaccurately claim that phthalates are found in rigid PVC products like PVC pipe or vinyl siding. This is wrong. Phthalates are used to make PVC flexible and, thus, have no use in products that are rigid.

There ARE NOT good enough ALTERNATIVES to phthalates in many applications. Many applications have very high performance standards that can’t be met by alternatives to phthalates. For example, there are no alternatives to phthalates that match their performance in medical products like IV bags, medical tubing, and upholstery.

There ARE NO STUDIES that demonstrate a causal link between exposure to phthalates and human health concerns. According to the FDA, “there have been no studies to date which show any connection between human dietary exposure to phthalates and adverse health effects. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes for Health believe that there is not enough data on the topic to decide whether low levels of phthalate exposure have any potential to cause problematic health effects in humans.”

You DO NOT need to be concerned about phthalates ‘LEACHING’ out of products that contain them. Phthalates are held in the structure of vinyl products. Various forces hold the phthalate within the vinyl matrix, so that migration occurs at a very low rate under extreme conditions and hardly at all during normal use. 

Some phthalates ARE APPROVED by the CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION for use in children's toys. Reporters often inaccurately report that phthalates are prohibited in children’s toys. This is not true. Some phthalates are approved for this application, and some are not.

Phthalates ARE ODORLESS. Some reporters claim that the presence of phthalates can be detected by the presence of a ‘plastic’ smell that some new products have. While this is not a serious issue, this claim is still incorrect. 

Phthalates ARE NOT UNDER STUDIED or LIGHTLY REGULATED. Entrenched opponents of PVC often claim there isn’t enough research on the safety of phthalates. The truth is that phthalates are one of the most heavily studied chemical classes in the world. Similarly, it is one of the most rigorously regulated classes of chemicals on the market. 

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Too often, we see reporting fall short of the high standards that readers rightly expect. We hope this information will shed some much needed light on this complex issue. 

We’re happy to answer any questions and to provide additional information to anyone curious about phthalates and vinyl products. Feel free to contact us here.

Addressing Our Infrastructure Needs Requires PVC Pipe

The city of Topeka, Kansas experienced 528 water main breaks over the past decade. Once a week, on average, a water main broke in that vicinity causing potential contamination, flooding streets, halting traffic and leaving homes and businesses without water service. Most people don’t think about water infrastructure until something goes wrong. But decisions by local officials about their respective systems have an enormous impact on the lives of people across the nation, which is why it’s important to get the facts right.

One of the most important choices municipalities face is the material selection for their water pipe networks. PVC pipe has increased in popularity, in part, because of its durability advantage over competing products. Research from Utah State University found that PVC pipe has an expected lifespan of more than one hundred years. Other research shows PVC pipe has the lowest break rate of any pipe materials in the U.S. and Canada. And both of those studies back up the experience of Topeka, where iron pipes encounter break rates over 18 times higher than PVC pipes.

PVC pipe is resistant to corrosion from acidic soil – which is common in many parts of the country – and can withstand extreme temperatures without breaking. That means it has to be repaired or replaced far less often than other pipe materials like iron which can have it’s lifespan reduced by as much as 85% with even moderately corrosive soil. 

This translates into serious advantages in sustainability compared to competing materials like iron. Fewer repairs and replacements mean less need for heavy equipment powered by fossil fuels. And because PVC is significantly lighter than other pipe materials – like concrete or ductile iron – it can be transported in larger quantities at a time, which translates to fewer trucks on the road.

PVC pipe has been safely used for decades in drinking water systems. Since 1988, NSF International has maintained authorization for the use of PVC pipe in drinking water systems.

Unfortunately, some cities practice a closed bidding process on pipe projects, limiting planners to a specific type of material even though other proven materials, such as PVC pipe, offer taxpayers better value.  Often, this favors legacy materials like iron pipe and keeps out modern materials that can do the job longer and at cheaper cost. But it also ends up costing cities more. A report from the United States Conference of Mayors notes that moving to an open bidding process could save localities 30% on material costs for pipe replacement projects even when legacy materials are selected for the job because competition drives prices down. Adopted nationally, this could save $42.8 billion over the next ten years. That’s no small savings in a year where local governments are staring down major revenue shortfalls.

There has been considerable misinformation about PVC pipe in the public discourse. Some have conflated the use of PVC pipe with the very real challenges associated with single-use plastics when the facts tell a very different story. PVC pipe is a durable material that’s built to last, primarily used in construction and infrastructure applications, including piping, for up to and exceeding 100 years. According to the EPA, only 0.8% of all landfilled material is PVC. Moreover, since 2014, there has been a 40% increase in post-consumer vinyl recycling. PVC manufacturers abide by strict regulations designed to safeguard the health and safety of employees and neighboring areas. 

Recently, agenda-driven opponents of PVC pipe have inaccurately claimed the material is a primary cause of benzene contamination in water supplies following wildfires. A close examination of the facts proves otherwise. 

The CDC recognizes forest fires as the among most common sources of benzene regardless of the presence of PVC pipe. And the U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that benzene “is produced naturally by volcanoes and forest fires.” Water system materials have little to do with benzene detection in water supplies. The most likely source comes from outside contaminants entering water systems via damaged pipes that connect to buildings. And all systems would be susceptible to this kind of contamination – regardless of the pipe material. Wildfires are devastatingly destructive and create a host of environmental and health hazards. Singling out one product that accounts for a minuscule fraction of all the burned materials is irresponsible. 

Water infrastructure touches the lives of each and every one of us. When it fails, it hurts everyone. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently gave American water infrastructure a “D+,” and the EPA estimated that needed investment in water infrastructure will cost hundreds of billions of dollars over the next few years. 

PVC pipe is a necessary part of any credible plan to address the problems facing our water systems. City planners and taxpayers alike should be able to make informed decisions about the materials that will best serve their local communities. That’s why it’s important for these discussions to be based on facts, not fear mongering or agenda-driven narratives.

The Facts About PVC Pipes & Wildfires

Plastics News: Pipe not to blame for benzene contamination during wildfires

By Catherine Kavanaugh

Originally published at Plastics News

[Plastic] pipe is not the cause of contaminated drinking water that communities are experiencing after wildfires, according to a new report from the Plastics Pipe Institute Inc.

"There is no evidence that the heating or burning of [plastic] pipe is responsible for the contamination of the water system within Paradise, Calif.," according to the report.

Continue reading…

How PVC Protects Frontline Medical Personnel Treating COVID-19

Given the vast amount of news coverage of COVID-19, you’ve likely seen photos and video footage of medical professionals helping and treating patients. You may have also noticed that they’re wearing a great deal of protective equipment to keep them safe. 

What you may not know is that a lot of that equipment is made from PVC. 

That’s because PVC is an absolute necessity in protecting medical professionals who come in contact with infectious diseases. It’s an effective barrier, easy to clean, and durable. That’s why we continue to vigorously refute activist calls to replace PVC in the medical field with untested materials. Now is not the time to take risks when so many lives are on the line.

Here are some examples of PVC protecting the doctors and medical professionals treating COVID-19:

#ICYMI Exclusive: The medical staff at frontline in fighting #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/lXiAVGQfsK

— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) January 23, 2020

Goggles and facial barriers like those pictured in this video are often made with PVC.

The World Health Organization said it was ‘a bit too early’ to declare the new Chinese coronavirus a global health emergency amid an outbreak that has killed 18 people in China and infected around 650 globally https://t.co/8qNyx8gExW pic.twitter.com/3Juz6WfbVs

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 24, 2020

Hospital workers and doctors rely on PVC aprons and gloves to protect them from the virus.

SoCal hospitals preparing for possibility of more coronavirus cases https://t.co/QcpXdwlyh1

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) January 29, 2020

In quarantine situations, PVC curtains help prevent the virus from spreading to other quarantined patients as well as medical staff.

Utah’s hospitals prepare to treat coronavirus patients, via @sltrib https://t.co/46wLWRoXdR

— Mike Hanson (@MikeWCNC) March 9, 2020

Temporary treatment facilities are often made with PVC to prevent the spread of the disease. 

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PVC plays a vital role in healthcare at all times. PVC-based vinyl flooring and wall coverings can be easily washed and withstand strong disinfectants. PVC is also a common material used in the upholstery of furniture in waiting rooms and patient rooms as well, since it is more durable and easier to clean than other materials. As a result, PVC helps to reduce and prevent healthcare-associated infections. 

Health care professionals, those who work hard every day on the front lines keeping patients and their communities safe, deserve the best resources available. The fact remains that PVC is vital to modern healthcare. And situations like COVID-19 remind us why it’s so important.  

MORE: PVC In Medical Care Innovation That Saves Lives

Plastics Industry: Don’t Turn Clock Back on Innovation

By Lance MacNevin, Michael Cudahy and Domenic DeCaria

Originally published at PHCP Pros

Plastic pipe began as a technical innovation of the 1950s, used to rebuild Europe after World War II. These materials advanced, gained acceptance and then became the norm. In North America, plastic pipe has been an integral part of construction since the 1970s. And like any technical product, they keep getting better and better.

This editorial-style attack in the article “Codes Must Be Responsive to Current and Future Hazards” was an unsubstantiated offensive on piping products that are widely used for plumbing, hydronics and fire protection applications. Continue reading…

Open Competition is a Must for Water Infrastructure

The Affect of Open Competition on Project Cost

We’ve written before on the benefits for taxpayers when cities embrace open competition for materials used in water infrastructure projects. Still, far too many municipalities continue to throw away millions of dollars in taxpayer money by denying other proven material options a seat at the decision table. As America’s water infrastructure continues to age and fail, cities and counties can’t afford to continue the status quo. Instead, they should allow open competition between entrenched legacy materials such as iron pipe -- and durable, affordable PVC pipe. 

Why? Because allowing for competition between materials can save localities enormous sums of taxpayer money. According to the United States Conference of Mayors, open competition can save local governments 30% in capital costs for pipe; and that translates to roughly $100,000 per mile. Nationally, allowing PVC pipe to compete with incumbent materials could save taxpayers an estimated $42.9 billion over the next 10 years. Allowing for open competition can bring costs down even if an incumbent material is ultimately selected. Even Congress is considering open competition as a means of saving taxpayer money.

“As mayor, it is my responsibility to explore options that will get our rate payers the best bang for the buck,” said Paula Zelenko, the Mayor of Burton, Michigan.  “[T]he open procurement process, allowing the bidding of different pipe materials, not only forced suppliers to sharpen their pencils, it ended up saving the city of Burton over $2 million by using PVC pipe instead of ductile iron (DI) pipe on our five-phase $25 million watermain replacement project. Even if we would have chosen to use DI pipe, the open procurement process forced the cost reduction of the DI materials that would have saved about $200,000 in the project.”

Despite these facts, an estimated 78% of municipalities don’t allow open competition. If fair competition between materials can save local governments so much money, why don’t more of them do so? Because the ductile iron pipe industry knows it can’t compete with PVC pipe -- and it has spread misinformation about open competition and about alternative materials like PVC to deny taxpayers an opportunity to get more bang for their buck. 

The fact is that PVC pipe is both cost effective and more durable than iron pipe. A comprehensive study of water main breaks in the US and Canada by Utah State University found that PVC pipe had the lowest break rate of any piping material including ductile iron. We see, and catalog, hundreds of iron water main breaks every year (which is to say nothing of the iron water main breaks in which the pipe material goes unmentioned). 

In fact, we recently published a case study of Topeka, Kansas’ water main breaks that backs up what we see every day, and what Utah State University found in their study: that PVC is more durable than ductile iron pipe. Here are some of the highlights:

Water Main Breaks IN Topeka, Kansas

Topeka’s water system is comprised of 39% cast iron pipe, 27% ductile iron pipe, and 25% PVC pipe. Despite the fact that PVC pipe makes up 25% of the system, a mere 4.5% of water main breaks occurred in PVC pipes. 

All iron pipes have a failure rate that is more than 18x the failure rate of PVC. 

The ductile iron pipe industry (and their lobbyists) will tell you their material is an improvement over cast iron. Yet ductile iron pipe still fails at more than 4x the rate of PVC pipe. What’s more, many of the breaks in ductile iron water mains have occurred long before the pipes reached their expected lifespan. 

Percentage of Pipe Materials Used

Topeka's system of pipes is about 39% cast iron, 27% ductile iron, and 25% PVC, with the remaining made of various other materials.

Percentage of Pipe Breaks by Material

In Topeka, 66.8% of breaks occur from cast iron pipes, 18.4% from ductile iron pipes, and 4.5% from PVC pipes.

Pipe Breaks: Iron V. PVC (%)

All iron pipe accounts for more than 18x as many breaks as PVC pipe.

Pipe Breaks: Ductile Iron v. PVC (%)

Ductile iron pipe accounts for more than 4x as many breaks as PVC pipe despite the fact that ductile iron pipe makes up almost the same share of the system (27%) as PVC pipe (25%).

The facts are simple: PVC pipe is more affordable and more durable than alternatives.  Responsible local officials should push for open competition to save taxpayer money and make sure their cities use the right pipe material to fit their needs.

The Benefits of PVC in Medical Care

We like to highlight stories that contradict the misleading narrative that entrenched opponents of PVC and their allies in the press often perpetuate about the material.  In a recent article for Plastics Today, Ole Grøndahl Hansen points out the many benefits of PVC in the medical care industry — and questions the environmental advantages of PVC alternatives:

Maybe the use of PVC in the medical sector has been under the radar in the media for some time, as Norbert Sparrow indicates in PlasticsToday in an article on alternatives to PVC. Yet, so much has happened in the world of PVC and plasticizers in recent years that a black-and-white approach to the use of PVC in healthcare does not do the topic justice.

Both in terms of the health issues related to phthalate exposure and the recycling of medical devices, groundbreaking developments are ongoing. Indeed, these developments call into question if it makes any sense to develop and market “PVC-free” alternatives. According to a recent report on PVC by the Danish EPA, the alternatives often are more expensive than PVC and, maybe more importantly, their environmental advantages lack documentation...

Continue reading...

National Academies of Sciences Studies Possible Link Between Iron Pipe Corrosion and Legionella Growth

We’ve written before about the desperate need to improve our nation’s water infrastructure. In 2017, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave U.S. water infrastructure a “D.” Most of America’s water mains are made of legacy iron pipes, which are failing and causing more and more water main breaks. Now, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences raises questions about the connection between legacy iron pipe materials and Legionnaires’ disease, which directly affects more than 50,000 Americans each year.

The Problem with Metal Pipes

The report suggests that metal corrosion, especially iron, can promote colonization of Legionella, the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires’ disease. The authors of the study note that “[increased] bioavailability of various metal corrosion products, such as iron, may also upregulate virulence in legionellae, stimulate general biofilm growth, and contribute to Legionella growth in hot-water heaters.”

The link between iron corrosion and Legionella growth is especially concerning given the amount of water system components that are made from iron. Iron pipe, including both cast iron and ductile iron, is prone to corrosion over time when used in water infrastructure. And the report suggests that deteriorating iron water mains could pose a “habitat for bacterial proliferation”:

Much of U.S. water distribution systems consist of century-old unlined iron mains, which are beyond their designed lifespan and subject to substantial corrosion as well as intrusion during water main breaks. Corrosion of pipe surfaces provides not only a habitat for bacterial proliferation and protection from chlorine disinfectant residuals but also a source of nutrients.

Corrosion is a common problem that affects iron water mains as they age. So much so that the researchers conclude that “addressing the problem of legacy iron pipe is a critical engineering control to consider for Legionella.”

Some Good News: There are Other Options

Materials that have smooth surfaces and are resistant to corrosion have a substantially lower risk of harboring legionella. The researchers note that “stainless steel, PVC-C, and PVC-U [do] not enhance growth of L. pneumophila in these laboratory tests.”

It is estimated that between 52,000 and 70,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease occur in the US every year. Controlling Legionella bacteria in our water systems is a vital public health priority, and the researchers noted that  “[most] public water supply distribution systems consist of hundreds of miles of cast-iron mains, which will never be replaced in a time frame that would allow for better Legionella control.” For this reason, and so many others, municipalities are wise to consider non-metallic materials when updating their water infrastructure.

Greater Good: Ten Questions to Ask about Scientific Studies

“Never take a study at face value…”

A big part of what we do at Vinyl Verified is correct journalists and media outlets when they run stories based on flawed scientific studies. If they would do their homework and ask these ten questions outlined in this article from Berkley’s Greater Good Magazine to determine a study’s credibility, we wouldn’t have to do it nearly as often. 

“Summarizing scientific studies and applying them to people’s lives isn’t just difficult for the obvious reasons, like understanding and then explaining scientific jargon or methods to non-specialists. It’s also the case that context gets lost when we translate findings into stories, tips, and tools for a more meaningful life, especially when we push it all through the nuance-squashing machine of the Internet. Many people never read past the headlines, which intrinsically aim to overgeneralize and provoke interest. Because our articles can never be as comprehensive as the original studies, they almost always omit some crucial caveats, such as limitations acknowledged by the researchers. To get those, you need access to the studies themselves...” Continue Reading... 

Inside Sources: Forest Fires Produce the Benzene Contaminating Water

By Domenic DeCaria, Technical Director at the Vinyl Institute

In the aftermath of the California wildfires, we are still learning about the tragedy’s widespread devastation and health effects, including water contamination. Confusion abounds as to the sources of that contamination and how best to abate it. One thing is for certain, however: The benzene found in California’s water isn’t from burned PVC pipes… Continue reading…

RealClear Energy: Water Infrastructure Investment Makes Dollars and Sense

By Ned Monroe, President and CEO of the Vinyl Institute.

Our country is facing a drinking water crisis that poses a clear and present danger to public health and the environment. A recent report from the American Society of Civil Engineers gave American water infrastructure a barely-passing grade of “D+,” an embarrassing reality we see on display on a seemingly daily basis. There are now over 200,000 recorded water main breaks annually. And while the failure of the drinking water system in Flint, MI has rightly entered the public consciousness, it should not be viewed as an aberration, but a wakeup call to policymakers at all levels of government to make significant new investments… Continue Reading

Context Is Key (And Often Dismissed) in Today’s Chemical News Coverage

Anyone familiar with our work here at Vinyl Verified knows that we regularly confront junk studies by agenda-driven parties that are carefully designed to incite public hysteria.  Too often, those studies are deceitfully presented to the public as sound science by members of the mainstream press. Examples of good journalism – where reporters actually spend time doing their homework to examine the integrity of the claims they cover – are few and far between.  That’s why we need more people like dietician Cara Rosenbloom, who recently exposed the Environmental Working Group’s scare tactics in the Washington Post, to give us important perspective on what we shouldn’t fear with regard to our everyday interaction with certain chemicals.

She writes:

“Would you worry if you knew your food contained sucrose octanoate esters or tocopherols? They might sound frightening, but don’t fret. These substances in packaged foods are also known as sugar, fat and vitamin E.

But see what I did there? I used chemical names to evoke fear by telling you those items were in your food. For a moment, you were probably wary of ingesting tocopherols. Scare tactics like this are often used by marketers to make people buy one product over another[…]

The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that focuses on human health and environmentalism, contributes to this fear.”

She also reminds us of this important point:

“[EWG] lists chemicals in conventional food and their associated risks — cancer, hormonal problems, DNA damage — but fails to address one very important issue: The dose makes the poison.”

That context is consistently missing in regional and national news coverage of chemical issues today.  

Why? Because context isn’t controversial. Context doesn’t boost article views.  Context doesn’t go viral. And context definitely doesn’t sell subscriptions…

All context does is give readers a complete view of the facts, so that they may evaluate for themselves whether a chemical safety claim is, or isn’t, worthy of their attention.    

Well done, Ms. Rosenbloom. Thank you for taking a stand for good science in the public discourse.

MORE: When chemicals are used to scare you about food

BobVila.com Gets it Right on Vinyl Windows

We created Vinyl Verified to ensure the public has the facts about vinyl. It’s why we often have to correct press reports and agenda-driven organizations that spread misinformation about vinyl products. But in the interest of fairness, when they get it right, it’s important we highlight those moments, too.

In searching the online universe for vinyl references, we were pleasantly surprised to see a story on BobVila.com noting the many benefits of vinyl windows. The author, Donna Boyle Schwartz, makes a clear and convincing case why vinyl windows are a more compelling option over competing materials.

Schwartz addresses the versatility of vinyl windows. They can come in a number of different styles, which make them an appealing option for homeowners. She elaborates:

“[V]inyl window frames are typically thicker than aluminum frames and offer options of smooth, textured, or faux wood finishes. In fact, the wood-grain texture achievable with vinyl windows is a big plus for homeowners who like the look of wood but long for the durability of newer materials.”

Schwartz correctly points out that vinyl windows are more durable than their aluminum competitors. Vinyl doesn’t dent, corrode, or fade like aluminum. As a result vinyl windows avoid the major headaches for homeowners caused by these forms of damage:

“Vinyl windows, however, boast extra durability when it comes to dents and chips, too. In the rare circumstances that your frames were to be damaged, vinyl frames—which are constructed of the same material all the way through—would be less likely to show any chips or scratches than aluminum frames, where any damage to the finish will expose the raw metal underneath.”

Schwartz also notes that vinyl windows require little, if any, maintenance --  unlike other products that demand regular upkeep to prevent rust and corrosion:

“Vinyl is virtually maintenance-free...Aluminum windows aren’t too much more work to maintain, all things considered. Since they are prone to condensation—which can lead to rust or mold—aluminum should be cleaned with a special aluminum cleaner, rinsed, and dried semi-regularly.”

She also highlights that vinyl never needs to be repainted:

“Because vinyl is the same color throughout, there is seldom any need to repaint...Scratched or chipped aluminum can be repainted or re-coated with enamel paint, but it may be difficult to exactly match the original finish.”

And when it comes to performance, she correctly notes that vinyl windows insulate better than their aluminum counterparts. Vinyl does not transmit heat, while aluminum does:

“Vinyl windows excel when it comes to insulation and improving energy efficiency because the vinyl material minimizes heat transfer. Aluminum windows tend to conduct heat (and cold) and, therefore, are less energy efficient. You may look for more advanced aluminum options labeled “thermally improved,” or install special “thermal breaks”—insulation within the frame to prevent thermal energy loss—which just happen to be made of vinyl.”

Vinyl windows have better aesthetics, improved durability, greater performance, and reduced maintenance.  With those attributes, one might assume they cost more than the competition. But as Schwartz points out, “...vinyl windows generally cost 30 percent less than comparable aluminum windows.”

Thanks, Donna, for making our job easier by delivering these important facts about vinyl.