One glance around a hotel lobby and the trained eye can see many opportunities for flexible and rigid polymeric materials necessary for efficient, effective and safe construction. It would seem that Cliff Goldman, author of the guest column in January entitled, “A Hotel Industry Future Without Vinyl Products,” would have these potential opportunities exclude vinyl as an option, for reasons he may not fully understand.
Most professional designers and engineers know the benefits of flexible vinyl, including its inherent flame retardant advantages, UV resistance, stain and scratch resistance and low VOC properties, not to mention recyclability. These characteristics all fare very well when compared to other polymeric materials.
However, in Mr. Goodman’s article, he starts the conversation by stating “putting science aside” and noting the “environmental headache” of using PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Instead, it should be science that drives the discussion and not the position of some companies pursuing a cause driven by marketing campaigns. The fact is that PVC is made of 57 percent chlorine (derived from salt) and 43 percent ethylene (derived from natural gas) and therefore relies on less non-renewable fossil fuel than other plastic, and that same chlorine contributes to PVC’s natural fire resistant properties. Vinyl is one of the few materials that meet the stringent National Fire Protection Safety Assn. (NFPS) requirements for installing electrical and data transmission cables, which makes it a natural for consideration for interior spaces.
No ‘Magic Bullet’ to Replace Vinyl
It is true, there are alternatives to PVC based products, and in some applications they can be considered suitable. Repeatedly though, many polymer material suppliers struggle with providing the performance and value of vinyl. There has been no real “magic bullet” to replace vinyl, and no real need to, as it has been one of the most studied and critiqued thermoplastics, with little if any science demonstrating harm to humans.
The aforementioned article also discusses that the health of the indoor environment is “something a savvy hotel guest can understand.” Those guests would be glad to know that many vinyl products are able to meet the low VOC requirements in indoor air quality standards such as FloorScore Green Label Plus, and GREENGUARD, recognized by green-building rating systems. Moreover, those guests that are conscientious of the environment would be happy to know that vinyl’s lifecycle compares well to competitive materials.
Alleged environmental impacts associated with the production of vinyl building products such as windows, roofing, and cladding production are far outweighed by decades of energy-saving benefits. Vinyl products perform favorably in terms of energy efficiency, thermal-insulating value, low contribution to greenhouse gases, low maintenance, and product durability. Recent lifecycle studies show the health and environmental impacts of vinyl products generally are comparable to or better than the impacts of other competing products. Furthermore, some flexible vinyl based compounds that utilize bio-based additives have demonstrated a carbon footprint lower than nearly all conventional thermoplastics. Even conventionally plasticized PVC has LCA (life cycle assessment) data better than polyolefins and far superior to polyurethane, materials that Mr. Goldman pointed to as possible alternatives.
A Recyclable Material
Clearly, market forces cannot be ignored, but consumers can and should be educated. Vinyl materials are one of several material families that can be considered for lodging construction on the merits of its performance and its track record of safe use, and not because of marketing messages that may or may not be steeped in science. And for those who don’t consider PVC to be recyclable, in 2013 more than 900 million pounds of PVC was recycled in the United States and Canada. Let’s start the conversation of material selection with science, safety and performance, and not whether something is free of a particular polymer without justification.
John Macaluso is an Industry Manager for Teknor Apex Co., with a focus on building and construction applications. Teknor Apex Co. is a privately held company founded in 1924 and headquartered in Pawtucket, R.I. Teknor is an international custom compounder of advanced polymer materials, including vinyl, TPEs, nylon, color concentrates, chemicals, bioplastics and polyolefins. Teknor Apex is focused on approaching applications from a polymer neutral position, with the intent of matching the right compound for the application across a diverse family of thermoplastics.
