Retail Giants to phase out toxic PVC plastics
Sparked by a national campaign led by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ), together with a coalition of health and environmental organizations, today Sears Holdings (Sears and Kmart) has announced its plans to begin phasing out products and packaging containing the toxic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, commonly known as vinyl.
Sears and Kmart join Wal-Mart and Target in reducing and phasing out PVC in products and packaging. Target’s policy was just announced last month. Sears Holdings has announced it is working to reduce and phase out PVC in its packaging and merchandise, including encouraging vendors to label their PVC-free merchandise. Additionally, Sears is working to identify safer, more sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to PVC and incorporate them into the design and manufacturing process for private label merchandise and packaging
Big retailers finally recognize the harm that can be caused by PVC for all who come in contact with the PVC life cycle, from workers making the products, communities located near PVC chemical plants, and consumers purchasing them, and to those living near landfills and incinerators where the products are ultimately discarded.
“When you mention Sears to someone, especially at Christmas time, it elicits memories of the Sears catalogue and toy shopping; Sears holds a place in America’s collective memory.” said Lois Gibbs, founder of the Center for Health, Environment & Justice. “It is fitting, right, and proper then, that Sears Holdings has been willing not only to recognize the potential dangers and harm caused by some of the products it currently sells, but has made the right decision to begin ridding its stores of this toxic PVC material.”
Recent reports indicate that the world stock of PVC in use contains 3.2 million tons of lead. Lead can damage the brain and nervous system, cause behavior, learning and developmental disabilities, and decreased IQ. Previous testing has detected lead in a broad range of PVC consumer products including toys, lunchboxes, baby bibs, jewelry, garden hoses, mini blinds, Christmas trees, and electronics.
A report released just last week by Healthytoys.org found that almost one half of all toys tested are made out of PVC, which often contain phthalates. Exposure to phthalates have been linked with premature birth delivery, early puberty in girls, impaired sperm quality and sperm damage in men, genital defects, and reduced testosterone production in boys. Over ninety percent of all phthalates are used in PVC products and are often found in many toys such as rubber duckies and bath books.
PVC plants have contaminated the air and water of surrounding communities with highly hazardous chemicals such as vinyl chloride and dioxins,” said Professor Peter Orris, MD MPH, Professor and Chief of Service at the Illinois Medical Center Chicago “These chemicals can cause cancer and other serious health problems for neighbors in surrounding communities.”
Sears and Kmart are joining a growing list of dozens of companies including Target, Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, and Apple that are eliminating or reducing its PVC products and packaging. In addition to Target’s recent announcement, Wal-Mart reached its two-year deadline in October to eliminate PVC from the packaging of its private brand products.
For in-depth details on the CHEJ PVC Campaign to prevent toxic harm in the retail industry go to: http://www.besafenet.com/pvc.
This article has been published with permission of Chej.org and Besafenet.com
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