PVC Task Group Background and History

Background
During the course of early LEED product development a credit was proposed to award the avoidance of PVC (vinyl) in building products, yet it has been asserted that the available science does not support such a credit. USGBC refers such contentious technical issues to its Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee.

Charge to TSAC from the LEED Steering Committee - November, 2002
The committee is charged with reviewing the evidence offered by stakeholders and independent sources, and advising the LEED Steering Committee on the availability and quality of evidence as a basis for a reasoned decision about the inclusion of a PVC-related credit [awarding the avoidance of PVC products] in the LEED Rating System.

Letter to stakeholders regarding the Task Group’s draft report:
TSAC and the PVC Task Group would like to sincerely thank all stakeholders for the comments on the draft report Assessment of Technical Basis for a PVC-Related Materials Credit in LEED® of December 2004. We recognize that this involved tremendous time and effort on your part. We are currently organizing and reviewing the almost 600 comments that were received. We are also beginning to revise the report in response to these comments. Please know that the Task Group will hold stakeholder interests, concerns and technical information provided in the highest regard as we complete our final report. It is worth repeating that the draft report was issued to receive input, AND WAS NOT A FINAL DOCUMENT. As such, it is important that the header on the document be respected and that the draft report not be quoted or considered final in any way relative to its analysis or conclusions. An expected release date of the final report cannot be established until we complete the comment review and plan the revisions. We will be posting our expected release date in late April. Once again, thank you all very much for your input to this important issue.

Solicitations for Public Input and Interest
To ensure that documents and comments will be considered by the PVC Task Group, they must be received by the deadline.

Response to stakeholder comment themes, August 25, 2005, click here. And all comments submitted are viewable online here.
The PVC Task Group is working to finalize its report, taking into account the extensive and valuable input from stakeholders in response to the first draft. As part of this process, the Group request further assistance from stakeholders on several topics in an Information Outreach Forum, which is located at http://tsac-pvc.obiki.org and is currently scheduled to remain open for input through July 8.
Comment on the DRAFT REPORT, "Assessment of Technical Basis for a PVC-Related Materials Credit in LEED," and the associated "PVC Study Database" listing information sources used in the report. Solicitation EXPIRED 2/16/05.
This comprehensive study is believed to be the first internationally to reconcile the occupational and environmental health impacts together with the life cycle analysis (LCA) impacts over all major life cycle stages. It is acknowledged that there are some gaps in the available data, and the sensitivity of final results to these gaps have been assessed. USGBC welcomes and encourages commentary on this draft report. TSAC will review all comments received during the public comment period and, dependent on the amount of time required for processing, a final report will be published later in 2005. (This notice was posted 12/22/04.)
If interested in reviewing supportive data files, LCA and risk assessment data are available. Since the LCA data are too large to post, you can e-mail your request for these files to: leedinfo@usgbc.org
1_risk_worker_vinyl_chloride_resin_combined.xls, 2_risk_worker_PVC_pipe_and_siding_combined.xls, 3_risk_occupational_worker_ABS_resin_combined.xls,
4_risk_occupational_worker_ABS_pipe_high.xls, 5_risk_worker_cast_iron_pipe_combined.xls, 6_risk_worker_Aluminum_manufacturer_combined.xls,
7_risk_worker_vinyl_window_combined.xls, 8_risk_worker_vinyl_chloride_resin_for_VCT.xls, 9_risk_worker_VCT_and_vinyl_sheet_production.xls, 10_risk_vinyl_flooring_and_tile_construction.xls,
11_risk_vinyl_flooring_and_tile_end_use.xls, 12_risk_occupational_worker_cork_plant.xls, 13_risk_occupational_worker_cork_installer.xls, 14_risk_teen_school_exposure_use_cork.xls, Table_with_HH_Risks_and_Normalization_Values
Supplement the PVC Task Group's " PVC Reports List": EXPIRED
Through April 2 (deadline extended from March 1), stakeholders had the opportunity to submit additional technical studies or comment on reports already listed in the document. (Posted 1/30/04, revised 4/5/04.)
Public Meeting and PVC Study Methodology: COMPLETED.
TSAC held a public meeting for PVC stakeholders on February 18, 2004, at the Melrose Hotel in Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting was to receive stakeholders' comments on the Task Group's proposed PVC database methodology as described in the following documents: the Solicitation for Feedback on Methodology, introduction to the Task Group's proposed approach to the PVC study, the general comment guidelines, and the Public Meeting Guidelines and AGENDA. All stakeholders were instructed to submit their letters/reports electronically to tsac@committees.usgbc.org for consideration. Meeting attendance was not required. Attendance list. Stakeholder speaker list. The deadline for submitting comments for this phase was February 18, 2004. Submissions are listed on the lower portion of this page. (Posted 11/21/03. Revised 4/5/04.)
Solicitation for Evidence Documents (Posted 11/7/03): EXPIRED/SUPERCEDED
To submit evidence that is not already listed on the PVC issue Web page (below), send your submission to tsac@committees.usgbc.org.
Call for stakeholders who wish to provide technical input or information, and/or wish to receive announcements and be kept apprised of progress (Posted 11/7/03. Ongoing solicitation.):
Sign Up to Receive Public Announcements
Anyone with a Web site user account can join the TSAC PVC announcement listserv, regardless of USGBC membership status. If you consider yourself a stakeholder in this issue, and would like to be included in the e-mail distrubution, please do the following:
1) Go to www.usgbc.org.
2) Click on ‘Your Account’ (in the header). Log in, and Click ‘Go’. Create a site user account if you do not already have one.
3) Click on ‘Your Committees’.
4) Click on ‘Join’ to subscribe to any listservs of interest.

Stakeholder Commentary and Submissions

Compilation of brief e-mail comments (as of March 31, 2004)

Alcan Primary Metal Group Comments - April 2004
Eastman Chemical Company Methodology Comments - April 2004
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Comments on Public Meeting - April 2004
Carpet & Rug Institute Revised Comments - April 2004
Vinyl Siding Institute Comments on Public Meeting - April 2004
Vinyl Siding Institute- BEES - April 2004
Tom Lent Comments on Public Meeting - March 2004

U.S. Green Building Council

PVC Task Group Background and History