One reason Naked Binder was started was to find a way to control the toxins in our environment. Eliminating vinyl binders is one step to keeping living and working spaces less toxic.

The health issues that come up with vinyl mostly involve BPAs and Dioxins.  We have compiled a bunch of information that can help you make more informed descisions about what products you have in your life.

I keep hearing about BPA.

Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, along with other applications.  ( from wikipedia).  The source of most talk about BPA has been in the water bottel and baby bottle industries.  A lot of plastics that were originally termed inert turned out to be...not at all.  This led to a lot of worry and studies about what is happening to us and our kids.

Problems with BPAs

In 1997 scientist Fred Vom Saal discovered that even in exceedingly small intakes of BPA could affect infants in the womb.  These amounts were about 25,000 times lower than the standards that were in place. In fact, the amounts were so low that ordinarily they would not have even been tested for. While the industry fought this (the revenue from BPAs was in the billions of dollars) this is generally accepted as true (especially outside of the industry).  

Obesity, nuerological issues, prostate problems and links to increased addictiveness (to drugs, etc) are all linked to BPAs.  The risk seems to be greatest during development.

Who is banning BPAs?

In Baby bottles and childrens eating ware: China.  Europe.  Canada.

Japan's canning industry changed voluntarily to using a new can lining and blood levels of BPA in people have declined dramatically (50% in one study).

In the US, certain states have banned BPA in childrens food and drink containers.  Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut. Many other states are considering the ban, and the manufacturers are launching a huge public relations campaign against it.

Where else are these BPAs ( hint: PVCs)

Vinyl (PVC) can also contain bisphenol A as an antioxidant in plasticizers.[5] This is particularly true for "flexible PVC", but not true for PVC pipes. If you use non-BPA baby bottles or kids cups, you may consider keeping all vinyl binders away from the kids also (we all know they eat everything). 

PVC has the dubious honor of being the plastic that contains and releases the most dangerous chemicals of any other plastic. These include dioxins, ptthalaltes, vinyl chloride, ethylene dichloride, lead, cadmium and organotins. There is no truely safe way to manufacture, use or dispose of PVC products.

And Dioxins.

Dioxins are a family of chemicals comprising 75 different types of dioxin compounds and 136 related compounds called furans.... There is a lot more of that.  The quick read is that they are carcinogens that generally get into the air through fire.  Big places are incineration of Municipal Solid Waste, medical wastes, secondary copper smelting, Forest Fires, Land application of sewage sludge, cement kilns, coal fired power plants, residential wood burning and also landfill fires.

More Information on everything:

PVC Information