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Vinyl: Any Color but Green
by Michael Cockram
In the debate over
the "greenness" of building materials, vinyl has become a divisive
topic. The U.S. Green Building Council conducted what it termed an
exhaustive study of the environmental impact of vinyl and decided to
drop recommendations to avoid the use of vinyl in its LEED certification
program. As a result, the USGBC has found itself at odds with some
environmental groups.
In many
contemporary buildings, vinyl is ubiquitous — from water pipes to window
frames to wiring, siding, flooring, and roofing. Chances are good that
you are within arm's length of vinyl at this moment. By far the most
common form of vinyl is polyvinylchloride (PVC), and PVC is one of the
most used plastics worldwide.
Initially, the
USGBC considered
giving credit in its LEED program for the avoidance of vinyl building
products. After forming a task force that included stakeholders such as
the
Vinyl Institute, the council submitted
a report that stated they could not determine whether vinyl was
environmentally "a clear winner or loser" compared to other materials.
This report outraged many environmental groups
that contend that the USGBC succumbed to pressure from the vinyl
industry. Chemist and environmental activist Dr. Michael Braungart,
principal of
McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry,
reacted strongly when asked by the
Healthy Building Network
about the quality of the report.
NEXT
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Vinyl
siding is a common, low-maintenance, but toxic replacement for
wood in U.S. houses.
Photo: David Owen
PVC
pipe has many uses in construction at all scales.
Photo: David Owen
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