PVC

What is PVC?

Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is among the most widely used plastics in the world. Common salt (sodium chloride) and petroleum or natural gas, form the basis for the manufacture of PVC.

PVC was first made in 1872, but was not really used until the 1930s - when it grew rapidly as a replacement for rubber. One of its first uses was during World War II as insulation for cable on naval vessels where its flame retardant properties helped reduce the spread of shipboard electrical fires.

Markets expanded rapidly during the 1950s when irrigation piping made from rigid PVC was introduced. Since then the industry has grown and diversified. Today more than 21,000 tonne (2008) of products are produced in New Zealand each year. 70% of this is used in construction products and 20% in agricultural products.


Why is PVC so useful?

PVC has a greater variety of uses than any other plastic. It can be made rigid or flexible and coloured, transparent or opaque by using different additives.

It is light, hard wearing, easy to clean, doesn’t rust and is a good electrical insulator. More than half the weight of PVC is chlorine, which comes from sea salt. So PVC consumes less petroleum resources than most plastics. It embodies less energy and is more resistant to fire. It is resistant to acids and other chemicals.

Because PVC is a thermoplastic (it softens when heated) it is well suited to recycling. It can be reformed into another product several times.

Over 21,000 tonnes of PVC product were manufactured in New Zealand in 2008.

Over 90% of PVC is used in long - to- medium life products such as water, irrigation and sewer pipes, electrical conduit and cable insulation, floor coverings, automotive parts and electrical cable housing. The remainder is used for things like stationary, packaging and medical products.


For more information about PVC see:

  • "About PVC: its manufacture, use and disposal" - a 16 page printed publication free to NZ residents, order by email to info@plastics.org.nz
  • the vinyl industry web site www.vinyl.org.au.