Figure 1. Manufacturing schematic of PVC. (Courtesy: The Vinyl Institute 2003.)
Figure 2. Pure PVC resin as a white powder.
(Courtesy: The Vinyl Institute 2003.)
many standards, including the ASTM standards, which are used by the PVC industry and the
government regulatory authorities to control the amounts of additives and the resultant properties
of the PVC.
Over the years the general advantages of PVC as a material has become obvious. In general,
it has been found to be lightweight for structural applications, fire resistant, cost effective, and
environmentally sound. Its large-scale use in products such as blood bags and IV tubing, as well
as for vinyl food contact packaging for food and produce, gives evidence of their safety from any
toxicity (Vinyl by Design, 2003). It is a good electrical insulator and lends itself to many versatile
configurations. In general it is durable and recyclable.
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