TABLE OF CONTENTS Due to the versatility of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the potential exists for designers to create innovative designs. This can be based on the material s flexibility, clarity, aesthetic qualities, and so on. Designers have been challenged by the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM) to create PVC products that reflect the material s versatility and enhance people s lifestyles. To date, this has resulted in an outdoor lamp (which interacts with the surroundings), fashion wear items, and household goods (in particular seating).
An important information resource for design considerations is provided by the Vinyl Institute Inc. This is the US trade association representing the vinyl industry. The Vinyl by Design website can be found at www.vinylbydesign.com.
Design considerations should take account of overall long-term value (costs, reliability, and environmental impact) and end-of-life considerations (ease of disassembly and material selection for compatibility with recycling methods or disposal). In the applications discussed here, the relevance of many different local, national, and international codes and standards with which unplasticised (PVC-U) complies must be considered.
A useful source of information is the PVC Pipe Systems Manual [1], a joint publication between WRc plc (an independent consultancy specialising in plastic pipes testing, approval, failure investigations, and development of specifications) and the British Plastics Federation s (BPF) Plastic Pipes Group (www.plasticpipesgroup.com/pvcmanual).
PVC-U is used in residential, commercial, and industrial pipe applications because of its resistance to corrosion, chemical constituents in water, scale build-up, and exterior pitting. PVC pipes resist bacterial build-up...
