Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Resin pricing news
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • CEO Issue
    • Diversity
    • Best Places to Work
      • 2022 winners
    • Processor of the Year
    • Rising Stars
    • Women Breaking the Mold
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • BRICS and Plastics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Resin Prices
    • All Resins
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
April 12, 1999 02:00 AM

BAXTER DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVES FOR PVC

Steve Toloken
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    WASHINGTON — One of the two largest makers of IV products in the United States, Baxter International Inc., announced April 6 that it wants to develop alternatives to PVC.

    But don't expect the process to move much quicker than a slow drip of saline.

    Baxter, responding to pressure from shareholders concerned about phthalates leaching from IV bags and dioxin emissions from PVC disposal, said it would provide the shareholders with a timetable and benchmarks for alternatives, and continue to develop them during the next decade.

    The shareholders are the pension funds of the largest health-care union in North America, the Service Employees International Union, plus two religious organizations: the Employees of the Sisters of Mercy Regional Community Center in Detroit and the Sisters of Charity in Cincinnati.

    Environmental organizations hailed the move, with Greenpeace saying the health-care company is ``joining the ranks of forward-thinking companies who recognize their is no future in PVC.''

    But the health-care giant stressed it thinks PVC is safe and does not agree with the fundamental assertion of the shareholders — that phthalates leaching from PVC are dangerous. Baxter said it is not accelerating research on alternatives, work it was already doing because some drugs cannot be packaged in PVC.

    ``We are profoundly disappointed in the misrepresentations that have been made in recent days concerning Baxter's materials-development efforts and its use of polyvinyl chloride products,'' the company said. ``The recent statements made by activists groups are inaccurate.''

    Baxter's move, however, is not vindication for the vinyl industry. The firm said it is shying away from PVC.

    ``You are looking at a very gradual shift, product by product, over a very long period of time, i.e., a decade or more,'' said Baxter spokeswoman Deborah Spak. While the company disagrees with the shareholders that PVC is a problem, she said, ``we are going to end up getting to the same point they want people to get to, but for a different set of reasons.''

    Spak declined to talk about the timetables, but a representative of the shareholders said they will meet with Baxter in September and will want to see specific information about when alternatives will be available ``so that it wouldn't be from here to eternity.''

    ``We've gained a commitment that they will in fact phase out PVC,'' said Sister Regina Murphy, an official with the Interfaith Council on Corporate Responsibility. ``If you were Baxter or one of the medical-supply companies, you could not indicate the slightest possible danger with the product.''

    The New York-based council advises religious groups on investment policy, and is involved in the Baxter talks. Its members have about $90 billion in investments.

    The shareholders also made similar requests of Abbott Laboratories, the other large U.S. maker of PVC IV products, but Abbott rejected the request. Abbott shareholders will consider a PVC-phaseout resolution at their April 23 board meeting.

    ``Even though we believe the [PVC] products are safe, the scientific debate has heightened interest from some customers and shareholders,'' said Rhonda Luniak, spokeswoman for North Chicago, Ill.-based Abbott.

    The Canadian government agency Health Canada has said it considers PVC safe. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing it.

    The three shareholder groups also have presented resolutions to hospital groups Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. and Universal Health Services Inc., Murphy said. Those companies could not be reached for comment, but Murphy said the hospitals fought attempts to get the issue before their shareholders in May.

    The agreement with Baxter requires the firm to ask the Vinyl Institute and the Chlorine Chemistry Council not to use Baxter products in its advertising campaigns.

    Playing off the pressure religious groups are applying to Baxter, a CCC statement was replete with religious imagery, calling Greenpeace ``the devil'' and an allied group, Health Care Without Harm, its ``acolyte.''

    The CCC statement also touted an eight-year contract that Abbott signed to supply products, including PVC devices, to a Catholic organization, Consorta Inc. That $500 million deal supplies products to 296 hospitals, including half the Catholic facilities in the United States.

    But the CCC statement does not mention that the Consorta contract raises concerns about PVC and requires Abbott to provide yearly updates on its efforts to phase out PVC. That language was requested by Consorta, Abbott said.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Hillenbrand cites recycling as 'strategic growth' area with Herbold acquisition
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    Hillenbrand cites recycling as 'strategic growth' area with Herbold acquisition
    2
    Eastman Chemical looking to build another major plastics recycling facility
    3
    California passes strictest plastics law in US, with EPR and recycling targets
    4
    Congress debates pause on plastics growth, ‘disposable communities'
    5
    Newell closing Coleman plastics plant in Texas
    SIGN UP FOR TO RECEIVE THESE EMAILS AND ENEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Urethanes Technology
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Tire Business
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • CEO Issue
        • Diversity
        • Best Places to Work
          • 2022 winners
        • Processor of the Year
        • Rising Stars
        • Women Breaking the Mold
      • Newsletters
      • Resin pricing news
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • BRICS and Plastics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
        • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Resin Prices
      • All Resins
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified