[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Rigid foam on an old house

[Lawrence Lile]

I learned about the problems with vinyl right about the time I finished
wrapping my old house with the stuff.  See a documentary film called
Blue Vinyl, it is quite hilarious and eye opening.  I even brought a
piece of my blue vinyl siding to a screening.  Nowadays I am trying to
avoid vinyl as much as possible, although I haven't been able to get rid
of the ubiquitous PVC pipe.  

 

Lawrence Lile, PE, LEED AP

Project Solutions Engineering

 

Wayne,

 

 

But because vinyl is a poor choice material - it can't be recycled!  In

addition, vinyl chloride itself is a carcinogen, and the phthalates that

PVC contains are indicted as both carcinogens and hormone disruptors.

Dioxin, produced when PVC is burned and when it is produced, is one of

the most toxic chemicals known. When PVC burns, hydrogen chloride is

created, deadly to occupants and firefighters because it is colorless

and heavier than air. Because PVC is so friendly to additives, there are

lots of added undesirable materials such as lead and cadmium, which may

actually leach out of the plastic. We have banned lead paint, only to

replace it with lead from vinyl siding.