Vinyl is the leading plastic material in the construction market. Vinyl requires less maintenance, frequently outlasts competitive materials and often outperforms them, making quality housing more affordable. It contributes to a higher standard of living by making critical products more affordable, more durable and more dependable.
Only 43 percent of vinyl comes from non-renewable petroleum feedstocks. The balance (57 percent) comes from salt. World-wide vinyl production represents less than .3 percent of all annual oil and gas consumption.
In a study of construction applications, vinyl was one of three plastic materials with the lowest energy requirements, saving more than 34 million BTUs per 1,000 pounds made. In the construction market, it saves about 44.2 million barrels of oil per year.
Upward of 20 million pounds of post-consumer vinyl is recycled in the U.S. yearly. The industry supports efforts to expand recycling for construction and demolition scrap.
Vinyl products are inherently flame-retardant due to their chlorine base, do not readily ignite and most will not continue to burn once a flame source is removed. The products of vinyl combustion are no more hazardous than those produced by other materials, both natural and synthetic.
Vinyl performance additives are closely regulated by a number of agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
The manufacture of vinyl is closely regulated to minimize its impact on human health and the environment. The U.S. EPA has estimated that the vinyl industry’s VCM emissions have been reduced by over 99 percent since new workplace standards were introduced in the 1970’s.
Vinyl products meet a demanding range of health and safety standards established by numerous agencies including the Food & Drug Administration, the National Sanitation Foundation and the National Fire Protection Association, all three model building codes and the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Vinyl is the world’s most versatile plastic. Because PVC resin can be combined with many additives and modifiers, vinyl can meet the requirements for products in many industries. Vinyl is chosen over other materials because of its low cost, versatility and performance properties. Vinyl is strong, durable, abrasion and moisture resistant; withstands rust and corrosion; is electrically non-conductive and has excellent fire performance properties. Because it has been used for more than a half century, it is one of the world’s most analyzed and tested materials.
Formulast Technology is VEKA’s method of formulating and extruding our various vinyl compounds for specific applications. Utilizing the latest computer technology and detailed dimensional drawings, VEKA engineers are able to produce new and innovative products to satisfy the building needs in any geographic region from this amazing material.