PVC is one of those materials for which it is tough to answer “Is it Green or Not?”

Here is an interesting article that sheds some light on the debate, as well as on the politics of deciding what is or isn’t green.

Production of PVC results in dioxin: highly toxic and long-lasting in our bodies and the environment.

The debate isn’t really about how green PVC is or isn’t. It’s about how it compares to other current products on the market for similar applications. Can we label a product as sustainable if it is merely more sustainable than others? It seems we have to, since most of mainstream production is not sustainable; this would be at least one step in the right direction.

But, how do we weigh the importance of avoiding persistant threats to health and well-being relative to other criteria such as durabililty and economics?

I’d love to hear your views on the topic.

peter