On any given day, the average consumer touches vinyl compounds in countless forms and uses, often without realizing it. Vinyl, also known as PVC, is everywhere in our lives – in the products we use every day, in things we wear, in furniture and materials in our homes. Valued for its versatility and price-performance benefits, vinyl has been trusted and continually improved with innovative chemistries for decades. It has also been the subject of ongoing criticism, although the assertions made against the material have changed over time. Most product designers and engineers know the benefits of vinyl, including its adaptability and its inherent performance, but they also hear objections to its use, for reasons that may not be entirely clear even to those who voice the objections.

This overview of issues and concerns over the use of PVC in consumer goods is a starting point to differentiating the perceptions and the science of vinyl. We review PVC from the most common concerns — Indoor Air Quality and VOC’s, Recyclability, Use of Phthalate Plasticizers, and Product Safety and Combustion.