It’s back to school time again. That time of year when parents and their kids face the excitement and anticipation of a new school year with new class assignments, new school clothes or uniforms, and supplies. Many of the products found in backpacks and classrooms are made of vinyl. These products have been designed to be durable, economical, safe, and stylish – all important factors parents of school-aged children consider when buying supplies that need to last for an entire school year.
Durability
Next to your child’s school shoes, his or her school backpack is likely to see the most wear-and-tear throughout the school year. Luckily, both are made from durable vinyl and can therefore withstand the knocks of an entire school year. “Vinyl products are proven to be durable over time, which means more cost savings to parents. The durability of these products results from the stability of the vinyl molecule, allowing products to resist decomposition, withstand environmental exposure, and the shellacking young children often put them through”, explains Delanie Bezuidenhout, CEO of the Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA).
It is because of this durability that so many vinyl products are used throughout the classroom. Whether it be binders, lunchboxes, rulers, plastic book covers, flooring, or wall covering, vinyl materials have what it takes to meet the demands of these high traffic areas.
Safety
Plasticizers and other vinyl additives allow school supplies to be durable, flexible, efficient, and meet the demands of the classroom. “Parents may have heard some misconceptions around the safety of vinyl products but make no mistake; these products have been proven safe for decades and tested by government regulatory agencies and international research groups. Parents are welcome to contact SAVA with their concerns and to gain more insight into the use of plasticizers in Vinyl products.” Delanie says.
Because of vinyl’s physical nature, additives are tightly held in the fabricated product, limiting potential for human contact or release. In some cases these compounds are chemically bound with the vinyl molecule more tightly than found in nature. Although consumer and health agencies have not found harm from exposure to them, some groups continue to perpetuate a cause for concern. Years of research and accumulated scientific data from government and independent review bodies suggest that phthalates used in modern Vinyl applications do not pose a threat to human health or well-being.
Vinyls industry committed to the responsible and sustainable use of PVC
The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) represents South Africa’s leading suppliers and manufacturers of vinyl products. All of these members have signed the industry’s Product Stewardship Programme (PSP), whereby they have voluntarily committed themselves to the responsible and sustainable use of PVC.
“Our Product Stewardship Program is a series of achievable commitments that address the industry’s environmental issues and forms the cornerstones of the Association’s focus and activities”, Delanie explains. It consists of five fundamental key areas, namely:
· A commitment to the responsible and sustainable use of additives
· A commitment to the responsible and sustainable Vinyl recycle programme
· Ensuring open and effective communication with industry role players, the public and government
· Ensuring industry health through product, market and application opportunities
· Ensuring a fully functional industry initiative that adds value to both members and the industry
SAVA aims to raise awareness of the good qualities of PVC by assisting its members, relevant authorities and experts to understand, characterize and address product stewardship issues association with the life cycle of PVC products. It works closely with other similar international bodies, such as the Australian Vinyls Council, The Global Vinyls Council, Vinyls Plus and PVCMedAlliance.
Conclusion
PVC has been in wide scale use for more than 50 years. It meets international standards for safety and health for the applications for which it is used. Being one of the most researched and thoroughly tested building materials in the world, vinyl products are found all our homes, (e.g. water pipes, roof membranes, drain pipes, floor coverings, window frames, electrical cables, toys and food packaging), hospitals (e.g. blood bags, intravenous tubing, masks, surgical gloves) and schools.
As the school year begins, parents can be certain that vinyl school supplies are designed with safety and durability in mind and have been designed to carry and care for your child all the way through the school year and beyond
