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PVC In Construction

PVC in Construction - An Overview


This briefing has been prepared by the British Plastics Federation's Vinyl's Group.

PVC is a very durable and long last construction material, which can be used in a variety of applications, either rigid or flexible, white or black and a wide range of colours in between. Due to its very nature, PVC is widely used in many industries and provides very many popular and necessary products.
57% of the molecular weight of PVC is derived from common salt, with the remaing 43% derived from hyrdocarbon feedstocks.
- Over 50 quadrillion tonnes of salt exist dissolved in the sea, with over 200billion tonnes of salt available underground - reserves of this material are clearly abundant.
- Ethylene from oil equates to 0.3% of annual oil useage, but increasingly etheylene from sugar crops is also being used for PVC production.
 
The manufacturing process:
 
Electrolysis process produces chlorine, caustic soda and hydrogen from brine (salt solution in water) 
Chlor-alkali products essential for over 65% of all UK chemical manufacturing industry.
 
Products and bi-products of PVC manufacture include Chlorine and Caustic Soda, two of the perhaps most important manufacturing "ingredients" not only for PVC manufacture, but many other important applications. Chlorine is used in the manufacture of life-saving medication, indeed 85% of all pharmaceuticals. Causic Soda too has many key, everyday applications, including the following applications: pulp and paper manufacture, soap and surfactant manufacture, detergents and clearners, aluminia extraction, textiles and the food industry. 
PVC is used in a wide variety of applications, including windows and doors (www.bpfwindowsgroup.co.uk), including cladding and fascia boards, pipes, packaging (cling film, for instance), healthcare (blood bags, hospital flooring), automotive (various), flooring applications and an every day product, which is often taken for granted - credit cards.
Around 34 million tons of PVC was produced worldwide in 2006, with approx. 6million tonnes being used within Wester Europe, predominantly used within rigid applications such as Windows and Doors and Pipes.
To summarise:
  • PVC is a safe material
  • PVC is a socially valuable resource
  • PVC does not need to be replaced or phased out

 

The PVC Choice - Applications and Benefits

The following examples highlight the validity of the current and continued use of PVC in building applications.

PVC Pipes: existing applications reaffirmed - PVC pipes have been used for more than 60 years and show that they have very long-lasting material properties. PVC pipes are lighter than other materials and easy to install. Once installed, they require minimal or no maintenance and upkeep. PVC pipes are strong, yet flexible enough to bend without breaking, allowing them to endure earth movement. PVC pipes offer a projected life span of more than 100 years without any loss in strength. No degradation of buried pipes is observed over time. PVC pipes at the end of their life are collected and easily recycled and used in new products. Not only can PVC be recycled and reused but its material properties remain intact through several use phases.

PVC pipes at the end of their life are collected and easily recycled and used in new products. Not only can PVC be recycled and reused but its material properties remain intact through several use phases.

PVC Wiring and Cable Insulation: A Dominant Role - Almost 1 million tonnes of PVC based compounds are now used in cable manufacturing in Western Europe, annually. This represents about 75% of all insulating and sheathing compounds used in the cable industry. PVC continues to be selected for a wide range of products in a number of end user industries, including automotive, electrical and, of course, building. An increasing amount of recycled PVC product is now being used in the manufacturing process of cables and wiring - closing the loop on the recycling process.

PVC Flooring: An Independent Validation - In July 1995, municipal emergency hospitals in the Swedish city of Gothenburg, endorsed the use of PVC flooring in recognition of its environmental and health advantages. Bengt Melvas, the senior toxicologist responsible for the environment in these hospitals, is critical of specifiers who deselect PVC while knowing of its excellent qualities: 'I cannot understand this approach which takes no account of practical benefits - both to patients and to people working in the hospitals - and discourages genuine scientific debate'.

Incidentally, PVC is already extensively put to good use in hospitals all over the world for blood bags, medical tubing and protective films for burns victims. It is the only flexible material approved by the European Pharmacopoeia (the official testing and approval body) for blood and plasma transfusion materials.

PVC flooring is an essential product in not only hospitals, but used widely in housing and hotels around the world. It is available in a wide range of colours and patterns, and even different thicknesses. Flooring firms produce an excellent and very durable product, suitable for so many of your requirements. Flooring too, is recycled in ever increasing amounts, partly thanks to the Recovinyl Scheme and Vinyl2010, but also engaging with key stakeholders such as the Waste and Resource Action Programme (WRAP), and also thanks to major investment by flooring companies in the UK.

The results of the Building Research Establishment's "Green Guide To Specification" for Vinyl Florring are eagerly awaited - anticipated early 2009.

PVC-U Windows: Key Innovations - Whilst appearance and design are subjective, the specifiers and consumers choose PVC-U windows because of the combination of these benefits for: The Consumer, The Environment, Tough and Durable, Resource Efficient, Design Flexibility, Little Maintenance Requirements, Good environmental life cycle performance, Cost Competitive, No Rotting and Ease of processing and fabrication. 

PVC-U windows are available in many colours, depending on the manufacturer, and are energy efficient. The British Fenestration Rating Council (www.bfrc.org) rate windows of different materials on their energy efficiency and is recognised within the industry as a key marker on energ efficiency. By far and away, PVC-U windows offer the most solutions within the A, B and C categories.

The Building Research Establishement (BRE) is the leading knowledge on construction sustainability in the UK and have awarded PVC-U windows a lifespan of at least 35years, proving their durability credentials. The BRE "Green Guide To Specification", updated in 2008, PVC-U windows have been awarded an 'A' rating for domestic windows and an 'A+' rating for commercial windows, proving the environmental credentials of PVC windows. www.thegreenguide.org.uk

Coupled together with PVC's inherent recyclability, PVC-U windows offer one of the most complete packages on the market today. For a list of our members, please see www.bpfwindowsgroup.co.uk.

The PVC Aware brand, www.pvcaware.org, has been developed by the BPF Windows Group to promote the widespread useage of PVC, not only in Windows, but also in other applications, whether flooring or cladding. Please follow the link below for access to the website.

 PVC-Ue Cladding: Durability and energy efficiency - Quality PVC cladding will remain unchanged in situ for many years - indeed the Building Research Establishement (BRE) has granted a life-span of inexcess of 35years for PVC-Ue cladding. It is designed as a long life product and requires little maintenance. As with many PVC products, cladding is available in many colours - depending on the manufacturer of the product, standard white is of course available, through to black, including many timber colours and textures. Cladding does not discolour with time, it retains its appearance, is virtually maintenance free and is weather resistant. In addition, cellular PVC cladding can significantly improve the thermal performance of buildings, particularly when combined with insulation. The Building Research Establishment have awarded PVC-Ue Cladding, in the 2008 update to the "Green Guide To Specification", an "A+" rating - the best there is. www.greenguideonline.org

Please see the Cellular PVC-Ue Group page for a list of current BPF Members.

PVC Roofing Membranes: Easy installation, low maintenance in use

PVC-UE roofline products help to ensure a long-lasting fine finish to any domestic or commercial building. Roofline products are designed to maintain their appearance year after year, they won't rot, fade, split, warp or crack and won't require painting. Installation is easy too, with the lightweight nature of the product, it is easy to handle and install. 

Please see the Cellular PVC-Ue Group page for a list of current BPF Members. 

PVC Recycling and the Vinyl 2010 Programme

The Vinyl 2010 Voluntary Commitment was signed on the 7th March 2000, which brought together the European PVC industry supply chain to speak with one, united voice, whilst also developing key relations with descision makers within Government. Full details of the Vinyl 2010 Programme can be found at www.vinyl2010.org, but some of the highlights include:

- Replacement lead stabilisers 100 % by 2015

- Stop using cadmium stabilisers in 2001 (completed)

- ECVM compliance charters for PVC production
- Recycling 200.000 tons of post consumer PVC waste by 2010 (in addition to established recycling volumes at 2000 and excluding regulated waste streams)
Recycling is a key theme for both the European and UK PVC industry. Under Vinyl 2010, the Recovinyl scheme (www.recovinyl.com) was set-up to facilitate the increased need for recycling of post-consumer PVC recycling, across Europe. The UK has been one of the lead recyclers of the scheme since its inception and recycled a record 42,100 tonnes of PVC in 2007. This however excludes regulated waste streams. The BPF's Voluntary Committment Implementation Committee, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Jason Leadbitter of Ineos Chlor Vinyls, leads the UK's efforts as part of the Vinyl 2010 Agreement.
Indications are that the upward trend of PVC recycling is to continue, certainly within the UK, moving into 2008, with over 50,000 tonnes predicted for 2008.

The European PVC indsutry continues to work hard on Sustainable Development and is also recognised as a partner of the UN Partnership for Sustainable Development.


Annual Dinner Early 2012