PVC in everyday life
By Farooq Paracha

We live in a changing world. The world population continues to increase rapidly; the earth supports over 6.6 billion people, which will reach about the 10 billion mark by 2050. Every human being has the right to have access to basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing.

Humanity’s quest for satisfying their basic needs resulted in various technological advancements and breakthroughs in all areas of human progress, to make sustainable development a priority for a secure and better present and future, so as to provide for and sustain essential human needs. One of the biggest human achievements in this regard is the discovery of various types of plastics.

Plastics play an important part in our life. Plastics versatility allows it to be used in everything from house flooring to doors and windows, from soft drink bottles to the refrigerators they get stored in. From the car we drive to the television we watch when we get home, plastics help make our life easier and better. So how it is that plastics have become so widely used? How did plastics become the material of choice for a variety of applications?

The simple answer is that plastics are the material that can provide the things consumers want and need. Plastics have the unique capability to be manufactured to meet very specific functional needs. If a product is made of plastic, the reason has everything to do with helping the consumers get what they want, that is, health, safety, performance, value and sustainability.

In the plastic family, PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) is one of the oldest polymers discovered which has been helping humanity since the 1920’s. It is arguably the most versatile of all the plastics or (in more correct term ‘polymers’). It is resistant to corrosion and weathering, a superb electrical insulator, impact and scratch resistant, tends not to crack, can be made rigid or flexible, and under many circumstances, it does not catch fire readily. It is also cheap to produce and can serve its designed function for decades. It is one of the most used plastic materials in the world. Global demand for PVC exceeded 35 million tones per annum in 2007 and it is in constant growth (+5 per cent on global average), with higher growth rates in the developing countries.

It is considered a plastic that helps conserve natural energy resources, because of its high salt content. While most plastics are made mostly of petroleum, only 40 per cent of the PVC molecule comes from petroleum; 60 per cent of it is chlorine, salt, and NaCl. Chlorine gives it useful properties like fire-resistance and durability.

Petroleum reserves are limited to around 120 billion tons, compared to 1,000,000 billion tons of rock salt. Therefore, it is evident that we must conserve our natural resource for the time to come.

Today, PVC is lighter, stronger and more adaptable than ever before thanks to continuing technological innovation. It is used extensively in the construction of many new residential and commercial structures. With years of extensive "system-know how", superb tooling and machine technology, the result is a durable and unsurpassed PVC product. Some advantages of using it in consumer goods include:

* Comparatively low energy and resource use in production and conversion;

* Lifecycle analyses have shown that it is a sustainable material;

* It’s products are often lighter then those made from alternative materials; they therefore require less fuel and generate fewer emissions during transportation;

* PVC products are durable, so frequent replacement is unnecessary;

* As a thermoplastic, it can be recycled a number of times;

* It can also be safely incinerated, allowing energy recovery, or safely disposed of in landfill.

Its versatility is reflected in a wide range of consumer, building and construction applications for example: automotive, packaging, interior design, clothing and fashion, billboards, marine, safety equipment, toys as well as pipes, cables, windows and roofing.

In the construction industry, PVC pipes and fittings comprise the largest portion of it’s usage. It’s water/sewer pipes and fittings are used in almost every major city around the world. Even the water pipes that run throughout your own home are made mostly made from PVC. This product is perfect for water line because it does not rot or deteriorate, have good abrasion resistance, is light weight with good mechanical properties. It is also flexible enough to move slightly, without cracking, when the ground shifts. PVC has become the leading material for large diameter buried pipelines installed by both water and wastewater utilities as well as for smaller diameter drain, waste and vent (DWV) piping. CPVC pipes are used for indoor water plumbing pipe for hot water and can work under temperatures reaching 90 C. Another major use of PVC is in the form of double-walled corrugated pipes (DWC) which are used extensively in transportation of community sewage across the globe.

Globally, PVC pipes have replaced millions of miles of old metal, concrete pipes that for years carried clean water into homes and wastewater away. It has become the leading pipe material in the United States today, accounting for more than 70 per cent of all water and sewer pipes now being installed. Since, PVC requires less maintenance, it frequently outlasts competitive materials and often outperforms them, making quality housing more affordable

The alternatives to PVC for window frames are wood, aluminum and steel. Metal window frames conduct heat and cold, reducing thermal efficiency. Although timber frames are good insulators, they weather and need a lot of maintenance. Various eco-balance studies have been undertaken to compare the materials used in window profiles. These have shown that it has a good ecological balance when compared to wood or aluminum in widow profile applications. In the life cycle assessment conducted in the year 2000 by the department of environment, transport and other regions in the UK, it’s window frames performed comparatively well.

Some 40 per cent of all European window profiles are made from it using about 600,000 tones, more than 10 per of Western European PVC production. Specifiers and consumers choose PVC windows because they are tough and durable, require low maintenance, do not rot, offer design flexibility, are competitive in terms of price, and can be easily processed and fabricated. Double-glazed PVC windows offer excellent thermal and acoustic properties, qualities which are now increasingly recognised in urban developments in this country.

It is also used in applications for floor coverings; from vinyl carpet to interlocking floor tiles they. Vinyl flooring is durable, warm underfoot, cost-effective, hygienic, fire resistant and easy to maintain due to its pore-free surface, and needs no polishing or treatment. It is available in a wide variety of colors and finishes which can simulate tiles, wood or stone making it an ideal decorative material for high-class hotel, restaurants, public utilities and residence, etc.

Vinyl flooring products provide easy-to-clean surfaces, crucial in controlling pathogens and promoting a clean environment. In addition, sheet applications can be specified to have welded seams and coved corner joints for areas requiring sterile environments, such as operating rooms and bone marrow transplant units. Vinyl interior products are frequently specified in patient care areas as well as the public spaces of healthcare facilities for this specific reason.

PVC is used for a variety of applications and has several benefits as discussed in this article and it is easy to see why it is the most popular and widely used plastic in the world. The PVC industry has huge potential in Pakistan and has shown significant growth over the years, with an expanding range of new applications and products.