What's the difference?

Before ZeroBanner, you had no choice. Conventional banners are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic, commonly referred to as vinyl, is one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created. PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle, at the factory, in our homes, and in the trash. Our bodies are contaminated with poisonous chemicals released during the PVC lifecycle, such as mercury, dioxins, and phthalates, which may pose irreversible life-long health threats. When produced or burned, PVC plastic releases dioxins, a group of the most potent synthetic chemicals ever tested, which can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive systems.

Read and view this alarming info from pvcfree.org
New Car or Shower Curtain Smell? The Smell of PVC!

PVC is useless without the addition of a plethora of toxic additives, which can make the PVC product itself harmful to consumers. These chemicals can evaporate or leach out of PVC, posing risks to children and consumers. New car smell? New shower curtain smell? That’s the smell of poisonous chemicals off-gassing from the PVC. One of the most common toxic additives is DEHP, a phthalate that is a suspected carcinogen and reproductive toxicant readily found in numerous PVC products. Children can be exposed to phthalates by chewing on vinyl toys. While it is still legal for US retailers to sell PVC children’s and baby toys containing dangerous phthalates, the European Parliament voted in July, 2005 to permanently ban the use of certain toxic phthalates in toys. One EPA study found that vinyl shower curtains can cause elevated levels of dangerous air toxins, which can persist for more than a month.

Get involved in the fight against toxins in our homes, offices and destinations. Learn more about PVC, and talk about it.

A good place to start:

• archive.greenpeace.org
• www.enviroliteracy.org
• www.besafenet.com/pvc/
• en.wikipedia.org

Should I throw out my old PVC banner?

No! We advocate re-used, re-purpose, re-think anytime one can. What makes traditional PVC banners even more harmful is that so many of them as designed for a one time use (special annual events), and are garbage when they are still brand new. If you have an existing banner, you need to examine how it can be saved first and foremost. If it is truthfully no use as a sign, perhaps it can be used in a new fashion or purpose. And remember to design your future ZeroBanners with less timely info to ensure you can re-use it time and time again.