Blue Vinyl

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Blue Vinyl
Blue Vinyl.jpg
Directed byDaniel B. Gold
Judith Helfand
Starring
  • William Baggett
  • Charlie Cray
  • Daniel B. Gold
Distributed by HBO
Release date
  • 2002 (2002)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Blue Vinyl is a 2002 documentary film directed by Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand. With a lighthearted tone, the film follows one woman's quest for an environmentally sound cladding for her parents' house in Merrick, Long Island, New York. It also investigates the many negative health effects of polyvinyl chloride in its production, use and disposal, focusing on the communities of Lake Charles and Mossville, Louisiana, and Venice, Italy. Filming for Blue Vinyl began in 1994. It was aired on HBO as part of the series America Undercover .

Contents

Synopsis

The documentary comes out of Helfand's desire to have a safer environment for her parents to live in, after she discovers that they covered their house in vinyl siding. Throughout the documentary, Helfand intends on revealing that vinyl siding creates a dangerous living environment for people living in the house covered with vinyl siding, and for the environment around them.

To explore her theories, Helfand and her team visit three different locations. The first is Lake Charles, Louisiana, the home of one of the biggest PVC plants in the United States. She interviews various local residents and learns that most of them know the problems associated with the plant, but either don't see ways to fix them or don't have any desire to fix them. Helfand seems to become a bit frustrated with the lackadaisical attitude that some of the residents have in this section. Also during her time in Lake Charles, she meets some members of the Vinyl Institute, an organization that defends the interests of the vinyl industry, and representatives from the Institute initially refuse her questions about any harmful effects from PVC production. Helfand meets Elaine Ross as well, whose husband was killed as a result of working in the PVC production plant owned by Vista, and learns about her lawyer, William "Billy" Baggett, whose work in her case is starting to make a serious change towards safer plants and better regulations.

After spending time in Lake Charles, Helfand and her team travel to Venice, Italy, where they meet more citizens hurt by large vinyl productions plants. The problem, they discover, is a worldwide issue. Helfand meets and interviews Dr. Caesar Maltone, a biologist whose experiments helped to create the basis for most of the lawsuits against vinyl production plants around the world. The documentary reveals that a few large vinyl production companies signed a secrecy agreement to make sure Maltone's findings stay secret from the rest of the world. The documentary focuses mainly on the Italian company EniChem, which is located in Venice and was the focus of Maltone's study. But, the vinyl producers do set certain rules and regulations on vinyl productions plants to try to avoid excessive lawsuits. For example, they declare that the limit of exposure that any given worker will have in the process of vinyl production is 1 ppm (part per million). But, after Helfand consults with Maltone again, he reveals that no limits that companies put can fully prevent exposure when production happens.

Helfand returns again to Louisiana, this time to a community near Lake Charles named Mossville. This community was so hurt by the pollution from nearby vinyl production plants that their groundwater supply was affected, and the community is largely deserted. Because of this disaster, along with problems in Lake Charles, Helfand showcases the work of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, which is a community organization that works with homemade air quality testers to make sure their community is held to the right environmental standards.

From Mossville, Helfand travels to California to discuss some alternatives to the vinyl siding on her parents' house, and learns about many different alternatives that are used in property building in lieu of traditional vinyl siding. To end the film, she finds a safe alternative to vinyl siding by using repurposed wood, and gives her parents' house good protection from the elements, while being environmentally and economically conscious.

Background

History

PVC or polyvinyl chloride production dates back to the 19th century but began being widely used in the 1950s when companies discovered its versatility. [1] By the 1980s, 20 companies were producing PVC. The advancements in chemical makeup made the material ideal for construction. Its low cost, durability, and processability made it a widely used product outside of construction into markets like IT, healthcare, and transportation [1] The market for PVC extended out of construction into beauty products like aerosol hairspray. [2] PVC was largely deemed harmless until four workers died of angiosarcoma in a PVC production factory in Louisville, Kentucky. After this, the vinyl industry developed a standard of one part per million (1 ppm) as the acceptable level during the production of PVC and also removed PVC from hairspray products (award of commendation article). [2] The Vinyl Institute claimed that only resin workers were at risk during the production and that the new (1 ppm) standard protected against that. [2]

Hefland investigates these newer concerns with the production of PVC and tries to determine whether companies like the vinyl institute were committed to protecting their consumers with these types of guidelines.

Research

Blue Vinyl teamed up with Working Films to create the My House is Your House Campaign [3] to turn the film into an organizing tool by increasing deliberate consumer advocacy and influencing industry change. [4] [5] The My House is Your House campaign sparked out of this documentary to continue the efforts after an attempt to inspire consumers through the film. This campaign focuses on the harmful effects of Polyvinyl Chloride production also known as "PVC" or "Vinyl." 75% of all PVC is used in construction materials. [6] According to this campaign, PVC plastic is considered one of the most detrimental in terms of harmful effects. During production, it emits toxic byproducts including dioxin, which has been linked to many cancers, neurological damage, respiratory problems, and birth defects among others. [6]

In addition to the health risks associated with PVC production, environmentalists associated with the film suggest that dioxins released through PVC plants do not disappear but are absorbed by animals and humans. PVC is also non-recyclable and highly flammable causing complications with the life cycle of this construction product.[ citation needed ]

Proposed alternatives

The documentary communicates the issue of uninformed consumers that purchase PVC as a cheap and efficient building material. Helfand hoped the film would bring light to the lack of understanding about materials used in the majority of Americans' homes. After her dissatisfaction with settling with vinyl, Judith seeks alternatives for housing construction. The My House Your House Campaign served as an education and advocacy focused effort was developed after the film to educate consumers about and take action against the use and production of PVC-based products and their life cycle. [6]

Helfand and the My House is Your House campaign assessed the impact of the life cycle of PVC, the affordability of PVC versus other construction materials, and the possibilities of incorporating these into routine construction practices. They provide links to environmental organizations that are committed to offering alternatives outside of the PVC market.

On the campaign's website there is a list of alternative materials that might present less consequences than vinyl. These materials include piping, siding, roofing membranes, wall coverings, and furniture. [6]

Reception

Accolades

Critiques

It was a complete shock to everyone when Blue Vinyl had come out on DVD because it exposed the dangers of a commonly used substance. Vinyl or Polyvinyl is a not only cheap but easily attainable through your local store or hospital. A couple examples of the many things PVC is put into is computers, cellphones, cars, dashboards, and hospital iv bags. The film explains the dangers of what could happen if this substance goes near a flame considering it is highly flammable and will release toxic fumes when burned. Many of the PVC plant workers have been diagnosed with cancer because of the toxic fumes that this vinyl contains. This film compares Lake Charles to an Italian city because they have both been used as a dumping ground and thus effecting the environment. PVC is said to be not only dangerous when produced but also when disposed. The corporations are exposed for letting this substance effect the communities it is produced in and for profiting off of the people in the communities. Most construction areas use PVC because of the many ways it could be used to build a house.

The film received scrutiny [7] when the DVD was released with portions missing from the original broadcast. Lori Sanzone, a woman diagnosed with angiosarcoma of liver (ASL), a type of cancer associated with vinyl exposure, had her diagnosis changed to a different disease. Also, after an out-of-court settlement, an Italian court ended a lawsuit talked about in Blue Vinyl. Counter to the accolades, many pointed out that there were inaccuracies in the original film. The Vinyl Institute president, Tim Burns, issued a statement announcing changes between the film and DVD. [8] He noted that a star witness supporting the claim that exposure to vinyl production can cause ASL, Lori Sanzone, is missing from the DVD version. (In the original film she was pictured as someone who had developed ASL from working in the plant). Burns claims that she did not have ASL and only worked in a PVC factory for seven days. He notes this led to Sanzone's case was dismissed in January 2004. [8]

Burns also notes the misuse of the case against Italian Vinyl producers which was dismissed in court before the production of the film. This is kept in the DVD version with a title rolling with this information at the end. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyvinyl chloride</span> Common synthetic polymer

Polyvinyl chloride (alternatively: poly(vinyl chloride), colloquial: vinyl or polyvinyl; abbreviated: PVC) is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic polymer of plastic (after polyethylene and polypropylene). About 40 million tons of PVC are produced each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petrochemical</span> Chemical product derived from petroleum

Petrochemicals are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as maize, palm fruit or sugar cane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubber and PVC fetishism</span> Type of fetish towards latex clothing

Rubber fetishism, or latex fetishism, is the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex clothing or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism is closely related to rubber fetishism, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and the latter referring to clothes made of rubber, which is generally thicker, less shiny, and more matte than latex. PVC is sometimes confused with the similarly shiny patent leather, which is also a fetish material. Latex or rubber fetishists sometimes refer to themselves as "rubberists". Male rubberists tend to call themselves "rubbermen".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thermoplastic</span> Plastic that softens with heat and hardens on cooling

A thermoplastic, or thermosoftening plastic, is any plastic polymer material that becomes pliable or moldable at a certain elevated temperature and solidifies upon cooling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinyl chloride</span> Chemical compound

Vinyl chloride is an organochloride with the formula H2C=CHCl. It is also called vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) or chloroethene. This colorless compound is an important industrial chemical chiefly used to produce the polymer, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Vinyl chloride monomer is among the top twenty largest petrochemicals (petroleum-derived chemicals) in world production. The United States remains the largest vinyl chloride manufacturing region because of its low-production-cost position in chlorine and ethylene raw materials. China is also a large manufacturer and one of the largest consumers of vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride is a flammable gas that has a sweet odor and is carcinogenic. It can be formed in the environment when soil organisms break down chlorinated solvents. Vinyl chloride that is released by industries or formed by the breakdown of other chlorinated chemicals can enter the air and drinking water supplies. Vinyl chloride is a common contaminant found near landfills. Before the 1970s, vinyl chloride was used as an aerosol propellant and refrigerant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air mattress</span> Type of mattress

An air mattress is an inflatable mattress or sleeping pad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamination</span> Technique of fusing layers of material

Lamination is the technique/process of manufacturing a material in multiple layers, so that the composite material achieves improved strength, stability, sound insulation, appearance, or other properties from the use of the differing materials, such as plastic. A laminate is a layered object or material assembled using heat, pressure, welding, or adhesives. Various coating machines, machine presses and calendering equipment are used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyvinyl fluoride</span> Chemical compound

Polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) or –(CH2CHF)n– is a polymer material mainly used in the flammability-lowering coatings of airplane interiors and photovoltaic module backsheets. It is also used in raincoats and metal sheeting. Polyvinyl fluoride is a thermoplastic fluoropolymer with a repeating vinyl fluoride unit, and it is structurally very similar to polyvinyl chloride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinyl composition tile</span> Flooring material

Vinyl composition tile (VCT) is a finished flooring material used primarily in commercial and institutional applications. Modern vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring and versions of those products sold since the early 1980s are composed of colored polyvinyl chloride (PVC) chips formed into solid sheets of varying thicknesses by heat and pressure. Floor tiles are cut into modular shapes such 12-by-12-inch squares or 12-by-24-inch rectangles. In installation the floor tiles or sheet flooring are applied to a smooth, leveled sub-floor using a specially formulated vinyl adhesive or tile mastic that remains pliable. In commercial applications some tiles are typically waxed and buffed using special materials and equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinyl siding</span> Plastic exterior siding for buildings

Vinyl siding is plastic exterior siding for houses and small apartment buildings, used for decoration and weatherproofing, imitating wood clapboard, batten board and batten or shakes, and used instead of other materials such as aluminum or fiber cement siding. It is an engineered product, manufactured primarily from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin. In the UK and New Zealand a similar material is known as uPVC weatherboarding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artificial leather</span> Material that imitates leather

Artificial leather, also called synthetic leather, is a material intended to substitute for leather in upholstery, clothing, footwear, and other uses where a leather-like finish is desired but the actual material is cost prohibitive or unsuitable, or for ethical concerns. Artificial leather is known under many names, including leatherette, imitation leather, faux leather, vegan leather, PU leather (polyurethane), and pleather.

The chemical compound 1,2-dichloroethane, commonly known as ethylene dichloride (EDC), is a chlorinated hydrocarbon. It is a colourless liquid with a chloroform-like odour. The most common use of 1,2-dichloroethane is in the production of vinyl chloride, which is used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, furniture and automobile upholstery, wall coverings, housewares, and automobile parts. 1,2-Dichloroethane is also used generally as an intermediate for other organic chemical compounds, and as a solvent. It forms azeotropes with many other solvents, including water and other chlorocarbons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Picket fence</span> Decorative fence often designating domestic property lines

Picket fences are a type of fence often used decoratively for domestic boundaries, distinguished by their evenly spaced vertical boards, the pickets, attached to horizontal rails. Picket fences are particularly popular in the United States, with the white picket fence coming to symbolize the ideal middle-class suburban life.

Vinyl may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiana Bucket Brigade</span>

The Louisiana Bucket Brigade is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental health and justice organization based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 2000 by Anne Rolfes, the organization works with communities neighboring state oil refineries and chemical plants to address air quality issues.

Mossville is a small, predominantly African American unincorporated community on the outskirts of Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area and is sandwiched between the much larger and predominantly white towns of Sulphur to the west and Westlake to the east.

VinyLoop is a proprietary physical plastic recycling process for polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is based on dissolution in order to separate PVC from other materials or impurities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PVC clothing</span> Clothing made from PVC fabric

PVC clothing is shiny clothing made from the plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC plastic is often called "vinyl" and this type of clothing is commonly known as "vinyl clothing". PVC is sometimes confused with the similarly shiny patent leather.

Westlake Corporation is an international manufacturer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers and fabricated building products, which are fundamental to various consumer and industrial markets. The company was founded by Ting Tsung Chao in 1986. it is the largest producer of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in the US and ranks among the Forbes Global 2000. Westlake Chemical operates in two segments: Olefins and Vinyls, and is also an integrated producer of vinyls, with substantial downstream integration into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) building products.

Engro Polymer & Chemical Limited (EPCL) is a Pakistani polymer manufacturing company based in Karachi, Pakistan. It is a subsidiary of conglomerate the Engro Corporation. The company has more than 70 percent local market share.

References

  1. 1 2 "History of PVC". PVC. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Fitzsimmons, Jeanne (June 2005). "Award of Commendation: Blue Vinyl by Judith Helfand and Daniel B. Gold". American Anthropologist. 107 (2): 237–238. doi:10.1525/aa.2005.107.2.237. JSTOR   3567743.
  3. ↑ My House is Your House Campaign Archived April 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Blue Vinyl and the My House is Your House Consumer Organizing Campaign, 2002–2003 Archived September 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ "Working Films - Linking Non-Fiction Film to Cutting Edge Activism". Archived from the original on 2008-09-18. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "PVC Facts". My House is Your House. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  7. ↑ healthybuilding.net Archived August 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  8. 1 2 3 Burns, Tim (September 2009). "Blue Vinyl Story Changes". Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology. 11 (3): 85. doi:10.1002/vnl.20042. S2CID   97444148.
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