PVC study concludes material not the only factor in LCA

摘要

A study comparing over 30 life-cycle assessments of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has concluded that the choice of materials is important for different applications, but not the only factor to consider. The study, which was carried out for the European Commission by a consortium led by PE Europe, looked at leading applications of PVC and compared LCAs for the controversial plastic with those for alternatives. Out of the 230 LCAs initially reviewed, the team focused on the 35 most relevant and one of their main conclusions was that from a from a life-cycle perspective, the material choice may be important, but it is often simply only one parameter among many. In other words a product made of PVC might offer other environmental benefits that one made in a supposedly environmentally friendly alternative material did not.