Re: PVC White Paper

[DrBillC@aol.com]

Jim:

I’m really confused about your choice of PVC fittings as an item for study.
 PVC fittings are of little use in and of themselves; rather, their
usefulness involves joining pieces of PVC pipe.  It’s the pipe, or rather the
capability to carry fluids, that is the object of the enterprise.

Obviously, the PVC industry is working hard to expand the markets for pipe
and fittings.  Not only are these materials the economical choice, but by
comparison with alternative materials, they are the environmental choice (the
main competitor in the US is ductile iron).  The projected life is 50-100
years or more, they break less often by a wide margin, and consume less
energy and nonrenewable resources in their manufacture.  Also, remember that
mining and smelting iron is not without environmental cost.

Incidentally, this means marketing and selling even more resource efficient
versions; that is, those that use less resin like foamed or ribbed/corrugated
versions.  The latter will especially see use in very large diameter drainage
pipe (over 48 inches diameter).

New plants to manufacture PVC resins are planned the world over, but
especially, it seems, in Asia.  Joint ventures between American, European and
especially Asian companies with Southeast Asian companies are in the process
of building facilities.  Check back issues of Chemical Week and Chemical and
Engineering News for announcements of these.

Finally, I do not believe industry is abandoning applications for PVC; on the
other hand, I think the industry sees pipe and fittings, already the largest
business segment, as being one that will and should continue to grow the
world over.

Bill Carroll
Chlorine Chemistry Council