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Plastics that contain the No. 3 symbol are made from polyvinyl chloride. Used for hundreds of everyday consumer products, polyvinyl chloride is the most toxic plastic in production, use and disposal by far. In an alarming new report, the Center for Health, Environment and Justice says polyvinyl chloride production fuses vinyl chloride molecules with toxic metals, like lead and cadmium, which are added as plasticizers and stabilizers.
The by-products of polyvinyl chloride production are much more toxic, more persistent in the environment and more likely to build up in the food supply and the bodies of people compared to similar chemicals that do not contain chlorine. Toxic substances added to soften or stabilize the plastic do not bind to the product, so they are prone to leaching in use. One of the chemicals, DEHP, has been designated a “probable carcinogen” by the EPA, and the federal Center for Disease Control found children have the highest levels of DEHP in their bodies.
All the different additives used to make polyvinyl chloride make it extremely difficult to recycle, and a No. 3 bottle that gets mixed into the recycling can contaminate and ruin the No. 1 bottles. If incinerated, polyvinyl chloride forms dioxins, which are highly toxic and build up in the food chain. Polyvinyl chloride creates significant long-term environmental threats when put in a landfill because the chemical additives can also leach into groundwater.
Consumers can avoid buying polyvinyl chloride bottles by checking the bottom of all plastic bottles, rejecting the ones that carry a No. 3 symbol. For other products that might contain polyvinyl chloride, if the labeling does not indicate one way or another, consumers can call the manufacturer to find out.
Organizations have been pushing for a polyvinyl chloride phase out, and alternatives are readily available and cost effective. Some groups have successfully pressured targeted companies to phase out polyvinyl chloride, but there are still many sources that exist in everyday products at home, work and other locations.
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