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Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Pipes
A sample student answer for the "Story of...."

1) PVC pipe has become very popular in the construction industry and can be
found being used for a wide variety of purposes. It is used for sanitary
sewer pipe, irrigation systems, electrical conduit systems, water
distribution systems and communication wiring systems conduit. The
advantages of using PVC pipes as opposed to historically traditional
materials are many. In the case of sewer pipes PVC has the advantage that
it is much easier to work with than the traditionally used materials of iron
pipe or concrete, both which are much more difficult to cut and heavier than
PVC. In addition, PVC pipes are chemically stable and do not oxidize and
thus need replacing as often as iron pipes. PVC pipes also are more
flexible than iron and concrete pipes and so do not crack or become brittle
with age. For irrigation and water distribution systems, PVC pipes again
offer ease of handling as well as lower costs than the traditional materials
of copper or iron pipes.


2) On an atomic level, PVC is composed of chlorine, hydrogen and carbon
atoms. A mononer of vinyl chloride consists of three hydrogen atoms, two
carbon atoms and a single chlorine atom.OK

3 and 4) PVC is produced by combining ethylene, which is produced in the
petroleum refining process with chlorine, which is derived from rock salt.

The process of producing PVC is as follows:

The ethylene and chlorine are combined to produce ethylene dichloride:

C2H4 (ethylene) + Cl2 (chlorine) = C2H4Cl2 (ethylene dichloride)

The ethylene dichloride is then heated to high temperatures where it changes
into vinyl chloride and hydrogen chloride:

C2H4Cl2 (ethylene dichloride) = C2H3Cl (PVC) + HCl (hydrogen chloride)

The hydrogen chloride left after this reaction is then further combined with
yet more ethylene in the presence of oxygen to yield more ethylene
dichloride and water.

C2H4 (ethylene) + HCl (hydrogen chloride) +02 = C2H4Cl2 (ethylene
dichloride) + H2O

The ethylene dichloride can then be recycled back into the production
process to make more PVC.

C2H4(ethylene) + Cl2(chlorine)+ O2(oxygen)=C2H3Cl(PVC) + H2O(water)

5 and 6) The basic raw materials used in the production of PVC pipes are
chlorine, which is derived from sodium chloride (NaCl) more commonly know as
ordinary salt, and ethylene (C2H4) a product of the petroleum refining
process. Obtaining these materials in order to manufacture PVC pipe has
many consequences for the environment.

To obtain the salt used in the production of chlorine, first it must be
mined from the salt barrens or mines and transported to the processing
facility. This requires energy from the use of petrochemicals in the
machinery. Additionally, strip mining disrupts the earth and releases
elements into nearby bodies of water that would not otherwise be present.
Once at the processing facility, chlorine is freed from the sodium chloride
using electrolysis. This requires large amounts of electricity. The
production of this electricity usually requires the burning of fossil fuels
such as coal and this creates ash that must be disposed of as well as
producing carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide which are released to the
atmosphere.

Obtaining the ethylene that is used for the production of PVC brings with it
all of the environmental problems associated with the petroleum production
and refining industry. Drilling for petroleum disrupts the environment at
the drill site. Transportation of raw crude oil is always risky and the
effects of an accident (oil spills) in this respect are all too obvious as witnessed by
recent history. Energy consumed in the petroleum refining process adds
further to the environmental impact of oil refining.


7) In the process of producing PVC, toxic waste in the form of ethylene
dichloride tars are a by-product. This tar which must be disposed of
contains dioxins. Current methods for disposing of this hazardous waste is
either by burning it in incinerators or pumping it into deep wells. In addition, there is air pollution associated with the production of PVC. This is probably in the form of VOC (volatile organic compounds.

8) After the PVC pipe has been produced, still other environmental impacts
result from the energy required to deliver the product to the consumer.
These impacts are largely the result of the use of fossil fuels needed by
the machinery and vessels involved in the transportation. There is air pollution in the form of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide which produce smog which is a respiratory hazard. Smog may produce ozone which is a pollutant close to earth and causes respiratory problems. Nitrogen oxides react with water to produce acid rain which can effect lakes, trees and fish.

9) PVC pipes are a relatively new invention and for the most part the PVC
produced to be used in pipes has yet to be replaced and then enter the waste
stream. PVC pipes would be considered a long-life PVC product unlike
short-life PVC products used in containers and packaging which today pose
environmental problems relating to their disposal. However, one day even
PVC pipe materials will inevitably join this waste stream and have to be
dealt with. The disposal of PVC products is a difficult issue. PVC, like
most plastics, does not biodegrade so three options exist to dispose of it;
bury it, incinerate it or recycle it. While recycling PVC seems to be the
obvious best choice of these options, it is not an easy goal to accomplish.
In order for PVC to be recycled, it first must be separated from all of the
other plastics because they all have different chemical compositions. This
is difficult and expensive because it must be done by manual labor. There
is no truly effective method to automate the process. Even if the PVC is
separated and recycled, the recycled material is of a lower grade than
virgin PVC material and cannot be directly reused for the same purpose.
Incineration is not a great option for the disposal of PVC either.
Incineration of PVC material, like most plastics emits carbon dioxide, a
green house gas and other toxic gases. In addition, the incineration
creates ash and residual materials that must be disposed of in landfills.
Contaminated salt residues that are a by-product of incineration must be
disposed of as a hazardous waste. Disposing of PVC in landfills really
doesn't dispose of it, but instead only "stores" it indefinitely.
Additionally, there are concerns that PVC materials in landfills may release
heavy metals that are contained in them as additives into the environment.