An environmental group yesterday called on the government to ban polyvinylchloride (PVC), saying it was harmful to humans and the environment.
“PVC is the second most commonly used plastic in Taiwan. Its life cycle — from production, usage, to disposal — is a direct and indirect threat to human health,” Taiwan Watch Institute secretary-general Hsieh Ho-lin (謝和霖) said.
In addition to a polluting manufacturing process, PVC waste produces dioxins when incinerated, Hsieh said.
When PVC products are used, the danger comes principally from PVC additives such as plasticizers and stabilizers, Hsieh said, because “without plasticizers, PVC is a lot less useful and without stabilizers, PVC is unstable when hot.”
“Among the five most commonly used plastics [PE, PVC, PP, PS and ABS], PVC is the only one that contains chloride, which enables it to be shaped easily when mixed with plasticizers,” Hsieh said.
“This enables manufacturers to inexpensively mass produce an array of plastic products with varying hardness. For example, while without plasticizers PVC can be hard like plastic pipes, with between 50 percent and 70 percent plasticizers, it can be as soft as food wrap,” Hsieh said.
“The most commonly used plasticizer, DEHP is harmful to the reproductive system … It has been found to damage the penis and testicles of male fetuses,” Hsieh said.
In addition, PVC stabilizers are mostly heavy metals, such as cadium, which is harmful to kidneys, and lead, which affects intelligence in babies and adults, Hsieh said.
“What is alarming is that as most plasticizers are oil-soluble, harmful compounds such as DEHP, lead and cadmium may seep out of PVC products and be absorbed by human bodies, even without heating,” Hsieh said.
This occurs, for example, when greasy food comes into contact with PVC food wraps, he said.
Last year, a study conducted by National Taiwan University and National Cheng Kung University showed that DEHP levels in pregnant Taiwanese women were four to 13 times that of pregnant US women, Hsieh said.
“As such, we call on the government to ban PVC altogether,” he said.
The director-general of the Environmental Protection Administration’s department of Solid Waste Control, Ho Soon-ching (何舜琴), said that a total ban was infeasible for the time being as the flexibility and plasticity of PVC in some products, such as IV bags and tubes, was hard to achieve using other methods.
As for food containers and wrappers, Ho said that although the administration had tried to ban PVC in 2006, the plan was stalled because of protests from retailers.
“Currently, we try to limit PVC use by increasing processing fees for its recycling,” she said.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS