The European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM) which represents all of the European EDC/VCM/PVC producers has issued two industry Charters:
- Industry Charter for the Production of VCM and PVC (suspension process), in 1994
- Industry Charter for the Production of Emulsion PVC, in 1998.
Among other commitments, these Charters set tight limits on VCM emissions from VCM and PVC plants as well as on the maximum amount of residual VCM present in PVC resin.
The inter-governmental Oslo and Paris Commissions for the Protection of the North Sea (OSPAR) later issued two Decisions on emissions from VCM and suspension PVC plants as well as a Recommendation on emissions from emulsion PVC plants. The limits imposed by OSPAR for VCM emissions are broadly in line with the limits specified in the Charters.
In 1999, the companies that signed the 1994 charter underwent a third party verification by an independent consultant (Det Norske Veritas - DNV). A new verification was completed at the end of 2002. A verification of compliance with the emulsion PVC Charter was completed in 2004. More information on:
http://www.ecvm.org/img/db/ECVMPublicStatement2002.doc
http://www.ecvm.org/img/db/E-PVCPublicStatement2005.pdf
As a result of industry efforts, the total yearly emissions of VCM to atmosphere from all plants of the companies that signed the Charters went down from 7694 tons in 1989 to 1062 tons in 1999. This represented less than 200 g per ton of PVC produced. A recent eco-profile of the PVC industry showed that the emissions of VCM related to the production of suspension PVC (the most common type of PVC) are now around 75 g per ton of PVC produced.
Unless in extremely high concentrations, which pose an ignition hazard, the trace emissions of VCM from production facilities pose no toxic hazard at all to humans or the environment. The VCM dissipates very rapidly in the open atmosphere to a highly diluted form and breaks downs within a few hours once exposed to daylight.
