Green Daily

Fashion and household items
Fashion items like flip flops, makeup bags, rain coats and rain boots, may all contain PVC. Plenty magazine has compiled a list of PVC-free flip flops, and warns against purchasing Crocs. The company refuses to release information about the materials used in their popular shoes, making them mighty suspicious candidates. Fortunately, the company will recycle them for you.

Also beware of t-shirts with plastisole prints, which will release chemicals when washed and dried, or even touched. Soft keyrings, novelty toys, and the like are also culprits.

Considering purchasing an inflatable bed or chair? Check the materials to make sure it is not made of PVC. In fact, anything that might be imitation leather, such as shoes or your computer chair, may actually be vinyl.

Speaking of vinyl, your record collection is made of PVC. While I can't in good conscience advise you to part with it, I would suggest minimizing handling.

Health and hygiene
Bandages, used by students on the blisters, shaving accidents, blading/biking mishaps, and after fuzzy, drunken nights, may contain PVC, especially if they're waterproof. Check out our suggestions on more eco-friendly (and safer) options.

If you're living in off-campus housing, or even at home, you might want to inspect your shower curtain. Commonly made of PVC, you can almost tell for certain just by smelling it when you pull it out of the package. Unfortunately, they leak toxins into the air, causing, in addition to cancer and central nervous system issues, respiratory problems. Check out our list of PVC-free shower curtains.

Food
You'll also find PVC in your food and drink. Here are some tips to keep your food from being contaminated:

• Don't use plastic wrap!
• Be suspicious of disposable plastic bottles.
• Plastic inserts commonly found in the lids of glass bottles should put up a red flag; don't choose that brand. In fact, beware of all plastic lids.
  
• Do you use a dish rack? Dishwasher? Refrigerator? I'm sure you do, and often, the plastic pieces are coated in PVC. Visit the manufacturer's website to find out if PVC is being used on your dishes, cutlery, and to store your food. Even metallic options are not always PVC-free, as the coating is often applied to prevent rusting.
  

School supplies
Your gym bag, backpack, laptop bag, and luggage all likely contain PVC, either on the plastic or metal pieces, or as a coating on nylon for waterproofing. The packing tape you use when you move home from the summer likely contains PVC.

Unfortunately, your binders, folders, writing pads, clipboards and even calendars are also possibly contaminated, although safer options are readily available at most stores.

Further reading
Learn more about the recycling of plastics, and how you may be contaminating batches at the recycling center. Find out what you can do with plastics labeled #3, #6, and #7 (check for the numbers on the recycling symbol).