Abbreviation for polyvinyl chloride; one of the most widely used plastics. Chlorine and ethylene are the most important raw materials for its production. The material is weather-resistant, flame-retardant and corrosion-resistant, as well as resistant to alcohol, petrol, alkalis, oil and acids. It is mainly used in the building materials industry (floor coverings, window frames), for packaging and for the production of beverage bottles. PVC is also used in viticulture for various materials such as containers, hoses and closures (e.g. capsules). In order to obtain desired properties, various agents such as stabilisers, colours, plasticisers, fillers, etc. are added to the raw PVC. Therefore, PVC is not without controversy. A number of ecological problems also arise during production, so that other substances are increasingly being used. See other plastics under GRP, PET, polyethylene (PE) and PVDC.
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