PVC production involves a host of really horrible chemicals, at the end of its life it doesn’t biodegrade and is difficult to recycle, and when it burns or is incinerated the smoke is highly toxic and dioxins are released, so new PVC is banned from our house. It’s so nasty that it’s a condition of a mortgage with the Ecology Building Society that you don’t fit uPVC windows or doors.

In most places we used timber instead.

The PVC windows we already had were perfectly adequate so we’re keeping them for as long as possible in order to get the most out of them. But we replaced 3 old doors that were in poor condition and opted for timber; aluminium clad timber hybrid is another, higher spec option for windows & doors.

PVC can also creep in as wiring insulation – the technical specification for PVC free wiring is LSOH (low smoke zero halogen), or use rubber.

Even after explaining the PVC free policy, turn your back for a minute and tradesmen are trying to use the stuff – in unnecessary cable trunking, or cladding around the garage door.