Roll Back on PVCs

PVC (polyvinyl chloride or vinyl) plastic has many uses, including in consumer products and as packaging. However, PVC poses dangers to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle - from production through use to disposal - making it one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created.

As some of the largest retailers in the world, WalMart, Sears, Kmart, and Target can play a major role in shifting the market away from PVC in packaging and consumer products. They have enormous power over their suppliers and can work with them to phase out PVC use in products and packaging and phasing in safer alternatives. In fact, WalMart has already begun with a pledge to phase out PVC packaging of its private label products within two years.

Take Action

Consumer groups and individual consumers across the country are writing (letters work better than email) Wal-Mart, Sears, Kmart and Target to ask them to commit to a PVC phaseout that includes all products made out of and packaged in PVC. We encourage you to do the same. Here below are sample letters you could send to the company CEOs:

Aylwin B. Lewis
President and Chief Executive Officer
Sears Holding Corporation
3333 Beverly Road
Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Dear Mr. Lewis:

Sears and Kmart sell many products made out of or packaged with PVC plastic. I am writing to urge you to join with other industry leaders to replace PVC packaging and products with non-PVC alternatives (beginning with Sears' and Kmart's private label packaging and products). PVC is widely recognized as the most damaging plastic to human health and the environment.

According to a recent retail survey in New York State, while Sears and Kmart stores carry many products packaged or made out of PVC plastic, both chains carry similar products made out of or packaged in safer materials, such as your EVA shower curtains.

In October, 2005, WalMart announced their plans to phase out private label PVC packaging in two years. Other leading retailers and manufacturers have already committed to phasing out PVC in packaging and/or products including Wal-Mart, Marks and Spencer, Ikea, Microsoft, Mattel, SC Johnson, Nike, and Johnson and Johnson.

I hope that Sears Holding will join the growing ranks of major retailers and other companies that have committed to phasing out this toxic plastic and utilizing poison-free packaging and products.

Yours truly,

[Put your name here]

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Bob Ulrich
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Target Corporation
1000 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Dear Mr. Ulrich,

Target sells many products made out of or packaged with PVC plastic. I am writing to urge you to join with other industry leaders to replace PVC packaging and products with non-PVC alternatives (beginning with Targets private label packaging and products). PVC is widely recognized as the most damaging plastic to human health and the environment.

According to a recent retail survey in New York State, while Target stores carry many products packaged or made out of PVC plastic, they carry similar products made out of or packaged in safer materials, such as EVA shower curtains.

In October, 2005, Wal-Mart announced their plans to phase out private label PVC packaging in two years. Other leading retailers and manufacturers have already committed to phasing out PVC in packaging and/or products including Wal-Mart, Marks and Spencer, Ikea, Microsoft, Mattel, SC Johnson, Nike, and Johnson and Johnson.

I hope that Target will join the growing ranks of major retailers and other companies that have committed to phasing out this toxic plastic and utilizing poison-free packaging and products.

Yours truly,

[Put your name here]

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H. Lee Scott, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Ruben, VP of Us Strategy
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716

Dear Mr. Lee and Mr. Ruben,

I applaud Wal-Mart's commitment to phasing out PVC packaging in private label packaging over the next 2 years, which will have a positive environmental and health impact. I am writing to request that Wal-Mart expand the scope of its PVC phase out commitment to include all products packaged and made out of PVC.

In a recent retail survey in New York State, it was found that private label Wal-Mart products such as Home Trends vinyl mini-blinds, Home Trends vinyl shower curtains, Home Trends lamp shades (vinyl cover), Mainstays vinyl mini-blinds, and Mainstays vinyl shower curtains made out of PVC. In addition, many non-private label products packaged in PVC were also found, such as Brinks locks, Faultless locks, Lavender Essentials bath products, Dr. Scholl's products, and Unilever Vaseline intensive care products sold at Wal-Mart.

Other leading retailers and manufacturers have already committed to phasing out PVC in packaging and/or products including Marks and Spencer, Ikea, Microsoft, Mattel, SC Johnson, Nike, and Johnson and Johnson. I hope you will consider expanding the scope of your 2-year PVC phase out, to include all products packaged or made out of PVC sold at Wal-Mart, beginning with Wal-Mart's private label PVC products.

Yours sincerely,

[Put your name here]

For more information about the hazards of PVCs and safer alternatives, see