PVC

Brussels, 26 Oct. 1999 - Greenpeace today revealed that Health Commissioner David Byrne and Enterprise Commissioner Erkki Liikanen are jointly proposing an EU-wide emergency ban and a permanent ban of soft PVC teething toys for children under three years old (1). Greenpeace welcomed that the European Commission is finally moving ahead on banning soft PVC teething toys. However, Greenpeace stressed that the proposed measures are insufficient and inconsistent with the Commission's acknowledgement of a serious and immediate health risks for babies.

Amsterdam, 20 October 1999 - Laboratory test results released by Greenpeace today showed the presence of a toxic additive in medical devices made of PVC. The same toxic additive was banned in soft PVC toys last year by nine countries due to concerns about its release and ingestion.

AMSTERDAM, September 23, 1999 - Today Greenpeace congratulated the world's largest auto manufacturer, General Motors, on its [announcement] decision to eliminate polyvinyl chloride (vinyl) plastic from its auto interiors. General Motors (GM) said moving away from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) will enable improvements in durability and a reduction of interior odors.