Dear S.F.J.,
The short answer to your question is “no,” but if we just left it there, we couldn’t very well call this a column, nor would it give you the full picture of the problems with #3 plastics—the serious health and environmental threat they pose and the reasons consumers should avoid these plastics whenever possible. I know you don’t want to be sold short on the ugly truth behind #3 plastics, so here goes with the long answer.
Plastics with the #3 symbol are made from polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. PVC plastic is used to make hundreds of everyday consumer products, such as cosmetic bottles, pets’ chew toys, construction pipes, plastic packaging, food wrap, babies’ toys and teething rings, vinyl siding, computer parts, and credit cards. Not only are these plastic products not recyclable, they are far more toxic in production, use and disposal than other plastics and for that reason, many communities and businesses are phasing out their use.
According to an alarming new report on the dangers of PVC by the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice, PVC production fuses vinyl chloride molecules with toxic metals such as lead and cadmium, which are added as plasticizers and stabilizers. Because of the chemical properties of chlorine, the by-products of PVC production tend to be far more toxic, more persistent in the environment, and more likely to build up in the food supply and the bodies of people than otherwise similar chemicals that do not contain chlorine. PVC is the only major plastic that contains chlorine, so it is unique in the hazards it creates.
In use, the toxic substances added to soften or stabilize the plastic do not bind to the toy, bottle, or other product and are therefore prone to leaching. When your child or pet chews on a plastic PVC toy, for example, they can be ingesting these chemicals. One such chemical, DEHP, has been designated a “probable carcinogen” by the EPA.
Because so many different additives are used to make PVC, recycling the plastic is extremely difficult, and any #3 bottles that make it into the recycling stream can contaminate and ruin a load of #1 bottles. When incinerated, PVC forms dioxins, a highly toxic group of chemicals that build up in the food chain. When landfilled, PVC poses significant long-term environmental threats as chemical additives can leach into groundwater.
In most applications, alternatives to PVC are readily available and cost-effective, and for that reason many countries in the European Union are looking at banning PVC in certain products such as children’s toys. In the U.S., action has been taken by groups such as the GrassRoots Recycling Network (GRRN) to get manufacturers to go PVC-free. GRRN targeted computer giant Microsoft to sign the campaign’s PVC-Free Pledge, and in response Microsoft stated that they hope to phase out PVC software packaging by the end of 2005. Johnson & Johnson was targeted by the campaign for their use of PVC bottles and also responded positively, stating that they want to phase out PVC in their primary packaging.
To avoid buying PVC, check the bottoms of all plastic bottles and reject those that carry the #3 symbol. Let the manufacturer know you want to see them use safer alternatives like #1 PETE or glass. For other products such as plastic toys or food wrap, check labels or call the manufacturers to see if their product is made with PVC.
For the full-length feature on the dangers of PVC and the availability of PVC alternatives, visit the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice, GrassRoots Recycling Network, Greenpeace, or Blue Vinyl.
