You and your research partner have been hired by the American Plastic Manufactures Association to research PVC and offer possible solutions to the risk associated with PVC manufacturing to a panel of CPO's of several major plastic manufacturing companies. The American Plastic Manufactures Association has requested that your research group present their finding in a PowerPoint presentation that is both informative and compelling.  The presentation should included graphics or pictures.  Include background information about PVC, the uses and benefits of PVC, the risk associated with the manufacturing or use of PVC and your proposed solutions to the risks connected with PVC.  Please try to avoid simplistic solutions such as "stop using PVC."  That only works if you have a good replacement for PVC in every possible use.  Rather, you should answer the following questions:

What materials might be used in place of PVC for certain applications?

For what uses should people keep using PVC?

What is copolymerization and how could it be used to make PVC soft without using toxic plasticizers?

How can we protect workers who make PVC from the harmful effects of vinyl chloride?

In your research, what claims did you find that you could substantiate? What claims could not be substantiated?

To receive credit a  CD of the PowerPoint along with an individually prepared assessment of your team member's contribution must be turned in to Mrs. A. .

A Little Background

PVC is short for poly vinyl chloride. This polymer is made by polymerizing the monomer vinyl chloride. PVC is a very strong and very rigid plastic, and it's a really useful one, too. People use it to make pipes, the kind used for plumbing in most newer houses. PVC is also used to make the "vinyl" siding on the outside of houses. PVC is also flame-resistant because it contains chlorine. Compounds that contain chlorine often are. Because of this, PVC is useful for making fixtures for the interiors of airplanes, where a fire could be especially dangerous.

PVC also can be made into a soft and flexible plastic by mixing it with small-molecule compounds called plasticizers. The "new car" smell that motorists love so much comes in part from plasticizers evaporating from PVC in the seats and dashboards. Plasticized PVC can be used for a lot of things. It's waterproof, so it can make things like tarps and raincoats. It's also good for making clear flexible tubing.

But there is a problem: Those plasticizers that make PVC soft and flexible can be toxic and carcinogenic. The PVC itself isn't toxic or carcinogenic, but the plasticizers can cause health problems. As if that weren't enough, the monomer used to make PVC, vinyl chloride, is carcinogenic and can be harmful to people who work in the factories where PVC is made.

Resources

To give you a jump on your research some online resources are provided below.  Do not restrict your search to these web sites or rely only on online resources.

For the uses and benefits of PVC:

Vinyl: One Material, Infinite Uses - from the Vinyl Institute, the Vinyl Council of Canada, and the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers.

PVC-Toys.com - industry-based advocacy group.

Chlorophiles - an organization of workers in PVC-related industries, based in Belgium. The site contains an ample list of other PVC and chlorine-related sites.

For the risks of PVC:

It's Perfectly Clear: The Case Against PVC Packaging - from the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group.

Europe to ban PVC toys - report from BBC News.

New Concerns about Phthalates - explores the risks posed by plasticized PVC, from Science News.

Our Stolen Future - site on the risks of hormone-disrupting compounds, including phthalates used to plasticize PVC.

For additional information on PVC, plastics, and polymers:

The Macrogalleria - a comprehensive resource of polymer information from the Polymer Science Learning Center at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Simple treatment makes PVC safer - report from BBC News.

FDA Public Health Notification: PVC Devices Containing the Plasticizer DEHP - from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

GRADING CRITERIA

Description Pt. Possible Pt. Earned Media Quality  [10 pt.]         Appears Well Planned 2     No Major Gaps or Errors 5     Effective use of Media 3   Content  [15 pts]         Thorough Coverage 5     Accurate Information 5     Clear Communication of Content 5

Project Evaluation Form of Team Members Print and fill out the Evaluation Form of Team Members. Turn in your evaluations in a sealed envelope with your project. Each member must participate in each aspect of the project cooperatively with the team. Do not try and divided and conquer this must be a team effort. You will not receive credit for the project without satisfactory evaluations from all team members.

Project a modified a version of a web quest from The Chemical Heritage Foundation

This CHF Chemistry WebQuest was created by Mark Michalovic