By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Environmental activists released a report in Buffalo today showing New York is one of the top contributors to the nation's PVC disposal crisis. The state ranks second in PVC waste.
The report says seven billion pounds of toxic polyvinyl chloride must be incinerated or put in landfills each year. But the findings also show the popular manufacturing product is never safe. Environmentalists say PVC releases dangerous chemicals, including dioxin, throughout production, use and, finally, disposal.
The report was unveiled at the new Certain Teed PVC plant on Buffalo's waterfront. Mike Schade heads the Citizens Environmental Coalition. He says Certain Teed is bucking the trend to produce safer alternatives -- and at the public's expense.
"Given that the Great Lakes have seen so many environmental problems, I think it's outrageous that Certain-Teed is coming in and siting a PVC fabrication plant right on the waterfront," Schade said.
The company received millions of dollars in government incentives to build at the redeveloped brownfield site. The report documents increased health risks, including cancer, in areas around the country where Certain Teed operates other PVC plants.