The following list of facts should go some way towards dispelling common myths about PVC-U.
- Myth 1 - PVC-U Cannot be Recycled
- Myth 2 - PVC-U is dangerous
- Myth 3 - Manufacturing PVC-U harms the environment
- Myth 4 - PVC-U offers poor energy-saving and durability
Myth 1 - PVC-U Can’t be Recycled
Fact: PVC compounds are 100% recyclable and can be recycled time and time again. 42,000 tonnes of used PVC-U windows and doors were recycled throughout the UK in 2007.
Myth 2 - PVC-U is dangerous
Fact: The World Health Organisation and the European Union have undertaken studies, which have shown repeatedly that the material is safe.
“Ministers have made clear that independent evidence such as that from Professor Rappe, the independent scientific advisor to the EU and World health Organisation, demonstrated that PVC is a safe material” - John Battle MP, former Minister of State for Science, Energy and Industry.
Myth 3 - Manufacturing PVC-U harms the environment
Fact: A typical European PVC production plant would have to operate for 30,000 years to produce the same amount of dioxins released into the atmosphere during bonfire night!
“The balance of evidence suggests that there is no alternative material to PVC in it’s major product applications that has less overall effect on the environment.” - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Myth 4 - PVC-U offers poor energy-saving and durability
Fact: PVC-U is far more thermally efficient than alternative materials and the PVC-U industry is at the forefront of the development of energy efficient window frames. In addition to this, the Building Research Establishment estimates that a typical PVC-U window will have a lifespan of 35 years.
