Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

What it is

Polyvinyl chloride, or vinyl, carries the number 3 in the recycling triangle. On its own PVC is rigid, which is why it's used for pipes and window frames. To make soft PVC, such as cling film, shower curtains, inflatable toys or vinyl flooring, manufacturers add large amounts of plasticisers.

Phthalates

The most common plasticisers have historically been phthalates. They aren't chemically bound to the plastic, so they can move out of it over time. Four of them, DEHP, DBP, BBP and DIBP, are restricted under rules retained in UK law to no more than 0.1% of the plasticised material in most consumer articles. Older items bought before the rules, and products from outside the regulated market, may still contain them. Many soft PVC products now use alternative plasticisers.

In the kitchen

PVC's main kitchen use is cling film, mostly professional catering film; household cling film is often polyethylene (see LDPE). Plasticisers move more readily into fatty food, and more when warm. If you use cling film, keep it off hot and fatty food, and never microwave under it. Better still, use lids, plates or wraps: cling film → lids.

Around the home

• Shower curtains and vinyl are low-contact uses for most people. When you replace a shower curtain, a washable cotton, linen or polyester one avoids soft PVC.
• Children's toys: soft vinyl toys and bath toys are worth choosing carefully, because small children mouth them. Buy from established UK and EU retailers, where phthalate limits apply. See babies, children and plastic.

Recycling

WRAP lists PVC as not recyclable in UK packaging: a PVC component can make a whole pack unrecyclable and contaminate other plastics in the stream. Put PVC packaging in general waste. Rigid PVC building products such as window frames are recycled through separate trade schemes.