Target Stores to Phase Out Vinyl Plastic Products

The retail chain is been persuaded by the arguments of the New York-based Center for Health, Environment and Justice and a coalition of health and environmental organizations that mounted an anti-PVC campaign in October 2006, complete with a blowup plastic yellow duck that is displayed at protest actions in front of stores

Demonstration against vinyl plastic makes its point with a blowup duck. (Photo courtesy Clean Water Action Alliance of Massachusetts)

"Study after study have found that chemicals in vinyl can cause health problems in children and adults," said Dr. Peter Orris, professor and chief of service at the University of Illinois Medical Center Chicago. "While using PVC products, people may be exposed toxic additives like phthalates and lead and when incinerated, PVC is a major contributor to dioxin."

Among the health effects of phthalates, plastic softeners found in many PVC products, are premature birth delivery, early puberty in girls, impaired sperm quality and sperm damage in men, genital defects and reduced testosterone production in boys.

"Since millions of toxic toys were recalled, parents are now looking for safer products for their children. Companies should ensure that customers are not rolling the dice with their families’ health in the check out aisle," said Lois Gibbs, executive director of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.

Gibbs founded Center for Health, Environment and Justice after winning the nation’s first community relocation of 900 families due to a leaking toxic waste dump in Love Canal, New York in 1978.

"Target is doing the right thing by moving away from PVC and switching to safer alternatives," she said.

Target, the fifth largest U.S. retailer with $59 billion in revenues a year is reducing the PVC found in many of its owned brand products including infant products, children’s toys, shower curtains, packaging and fashion accessories.

Target is joining a group of companies including Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, and Apple that are eliminating or reducing PVC in their products and packaging.

Wal-Mart has recalled PVC baby bibs and lunchboxes containing lead, and more recently Toys R Us recalled PVC baby bibs containing lead.

In September, the Clean Water Action Alliance of Massachusetts tested over 50 toys and found that one in five was contaminated with lead. Ten of the 11 leaded toys were made out of vinyl. They include the Wal-Mart Neon Writing Slate and the McDonalds Play Food Set.

Over ninety percent of phthalates, reproductive toxicants found in children’s toys, are used in the manufacture of PVC, the environmental groups warn.

Target has pledged to eliminate PVC from a number of infant products and toys. Target children’s eating utensils and lunchboxes are now PVC-free. Target baby bibs will be PVC-free by January 2008. The company is phasing out phthalates in most of their toys by fall 2008. The chain is also eliminating phthalates in baby changing tables by January 2008.

Target will replace many vinyl shower curtains with a PVC-free plastic, made of ethylene vinyl acetate that the environmental groups say is safer. Target expects 88 percent of its shower curtains to be PVC free by spring 2008.

Researchers at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, have reported that a new vinyl shower curtain, "can cause elevated indoor air toxics concentrations … for more than a month."

On the issue of lead in vinyl lunchboxes, In 2005, staff scientists with the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission tested 60 soft, vinyl lunchboxes. The staff tested the inside and outside surfaces of lunchboxes and found no instances of hazardous levels of lead.

"If CPSC had found a vinyl lunchbox that had a dangerous amount of lead that was accessible to children and could put them in harm's way, we would have taken swift action," the agency said.

The staff risk assessment takes into account children's behaviors, such as hand to mouth activity, and the accessibility of lead. Under CPSC Federal law, total lead does not dictate action. Instead decisions must consider the real world interaction of child and product and the accessibility of lead from the product.

No matter how the data are analyzed, the staff risk assessment would still conclude that the lead exposure from vinyl lunchboxes does not present a risk to health for action under CPSC's law.

The hazards of PVC are not limited to its use by consumers, it creates toxic pollution during its manufacture, the environmental groups point out. When discarded, toxic additives like lead and phthalates can leach into the ground and drinking water sources. When burned in incinerators, PVC produces dioxins and furans, chemicals that can cause cancer and are considered to be among the most toxic environmental contaminants. PVC packaging can not be effectively recycled, and can contaminate an entire batch of 100,000 recyclable bottles.

The Vinyl Institute, a vinyl industry association, says the industry "is committed to operating its manufacturing facilities in a manner that protects the Earth and its inhabitants, including our workers and neighbors."

"Although vinyl production increased about 65 percent from 1987 to 2001, air emissions of vinyl chloride monomer from Vinyl Institute member company sites have decreased about 56 percent during this time," the Institute says.

Vinyl is among the largest volume plastics produced. It is used in hundreds of products such as pipe, house siding, doors and windows, flooring, electrical wire and cable insulation, medical tubing and blood bags, electronic and automotive parts and packaging materials.

Last month, California joined the European Union and 14 countries in banning the use of phthalates in children’s and infant’s products. Legislation to establish a national ban in the U.S. was just introduced in Congress and six other states including New York introduced similar bills over the past year.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved.