Industry urged to do more to educate public, media

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 5, 2007 (VNS) – The numerous energy-saving, environmental and practical benefits of PVC (vinyl) are well established and scientifically proven, but industry needs to do more to educate its customers, the public and the media, according to experts speaking at the third World Vinyl Forum in Boston.

Professor Kiyoshi Ueno of the United Nations University said industry organizations in the United States, Europe, Japan and Korea have a responsibility to promote “fair and accurate information” about PVC to help counter the false information spread in recent years by green organizations and some academics.

“Once wrongful rumors spread, a tremendous effort is necessary to correct the damage,” he said. “The media are not interested in correcting their false reports of the past and consumer attitudes are not easily changed. There are still many in academia who wrongfully believe that PVC is hazardous in relation to dioxin, despite the fact that this notion has been scientifically discredited.”

Other speakers reiterated the need to correct widespread misinformation. “The facts are quite clear,” Ueno said. “Today, PVC’s environmental performance is proven from both the technical and scientific point of view. There is no longer any room for doubt about PVC’s advantages and versatility. Leading enterprises should actively use PVC and positively advertise its environmental benefits.”

Ueno is a lecturer at the University of Tokyo, visiting professor at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology and adviser to the Environment and Sustainable Development Program at the United Nations University.