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EU Report Confirms Safe Production and
Essential Role of PVC in Healthcare
The PVCMed Alliance acknowledges ECHA’s recent
investigation report on PVC and PVC additives which provides, among many other
topics, a comprehensive analysis of PVC's role in medical devices and packaging.
The report confirms that the production of PVC in Europe adheres to the highest
safety standards, effectively managing risks associated with its production,
particularly concerning worker safety and environmental impact.
The ECHA investigation highlights the significant
advancements in the European PVC industry through the VinylPlus® Commitment to
sustainable development. Through VinylPlus, the industry has voluntarily
enforced its own continuously updated charters, which supersede regulatory
requirements.
The ECHA report emphasises that no single
alternative material has been identified that can replace PVC in all its medical
applications, underscoring the polymer’s irreplaceable role in healthcare.
Simultaneously, the report concludes that there is no Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
data to substantiate the claim that alternatives are environmentally preferable
to PVC.
However, the ECHA report omits PVC's increasing role
in the circular healthcare economy, namely the scheme VinylPlus® Med scheme that
helps hospitals turn their DEHP-free PVC medical device waste into useful
products for the healthcare sector, such was vinyl wall covering. A new
comparative LCA documents that recycling cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 25%
compared to incineration. Ongoing research commissioned by PVCMed Alliance is
investigating how many times medical PVC can be recycling without loss of
functional properties. So far, four cycles have been completed with success.
Ole Grøndahl Hansen, Project Leader at PVCMed
Alliance, commented on the report: “It is heartening to see ECHA's findings
align with our understanding of how PVC is produced today. We are also happy
about the nuanced approach to PVC’s role in healthcare from a high-level
European authority. We hope the report will contribute to more evidence-based
procurement decisions among European hospitals and consider PVC’s potential
carbon savings through recycling.”
Additionally, the ECHA report acknowledges the
advancements in developing new plasticisers, which address health concerns
related to low molecular weight phthalates such as DEHP.
The ECHA’s investigation further reviews PVC in
medical packaging, particularly in blister packs, where PVC's versatility and
cost/performance ratio are unrivalled.
The ECHA report addresses the often-discussed topic
of PVC in waste incineration, providing clarity and reassurance. It concludes
that the formation of dioxins is not directly linked to the amount of chlorine
present in the waste, challenging a common misconception. Instead, dioxin
production is mainly influenced by the management of the incineration process.
In addition, chlorine from other sources, such as salty foods, are always
present in the waste. ECHA also acknowledges that current European waste
incineration capacity is adequate to safely process waste containing up to 2%
PVC.
In conclusion, the ECHA report provides impartial
evidence of safe PVC production in Europe and PVC’s crucial role in healthcare.
PVCMed Alliance continues to support the responsible production, use, and
end-of-life of PVC in the medical sector.
(Ref :
https://pvcmed.org/echa-investigation-report/). |
