Best Environmental Practice PVC ...Global GreenTag International Articulates Importance of BEP PVC Scheme

Certified, environmentally responsible PVC product is fast becoming a tender request in projects for the built environment. Global GreenTag International is stepping up its compliance scheme for manufacturers who want to meet this demand on green projects with the Global GreenTag Best Environmental Practice PVC (BEP PVC™), available under the GreenTag International Certification Standard V4.

"Environmentally responsible PVC manufacture is critical in these times," says David Baggs, GreenTag's CEO and Technical Director who will be drilling down into the topic for industry this month.

Appearing at Shaping the Future PVC Australia 2018 conference in Sydney, David will be deconstructing the value of PVC product that has been submitted for Life Cycle Assessment, delivering a paper titled: The comparative life cycle evaluation of PVC vs other flooring.

Providing articulated schemes for progressive manufacturers who are doing great products with PVC is so important to elevate, says David.

Global GreenTag's BEP PVC complies with the new Green Star^® rating tools Responsible Products - PVC credit, which was developed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and New Zealand (GBCNZ) in association with the Vinyl Council of Australia (VCA).

GBCA conducted a full literature review, concluding that vinyl cannot be ruled out as a material for use in the built environment, and since introduction of the new credit "the uptake has been quick," says David, adding that Global GreenTag certifies some of the biggest PVC product manufacturers in the world, particularly the flooring sector.

"Proving that your product meets best environmental practice standards is now going to be key for products entering green projects and the procurement sales process." The Australian Defence Forces and Lend Lease, he notes, became early adopters, announcing their intention to meet the PVC credit in tender opportunities.

The Vinyl Council of Australia's Best Environmental Practice PVC trade mark is already available to companies, which apply and provide a copy of a valid certificate of compliance, including Global GreenTag's Certificate of BEP PVC Compliance. Companies are then listed on the BEP PVC online register, says David, of compliant products, which are linked to the GBCA Green Star^® website.

This will cover for all kinds of building construction, interiors fitout and existing building refurbishments in:

Flooring
Permanent formwork
Cables
Blinds
Pipes

For companies that want to meet Green Star^® compliance, David adds that PVC products with Global GreenTag GreenRate™ certi­fication can earn points under the Green Star^® 'Sustainable Products' credit, however, such certification does not remove the consideration of those products from the Responsible Building Materials credit if they are pipes, cables, flooring, permanent formwork or blinds.

Manufacturers in these categories who would like to discuss their options to secure a BEP PVC, or to upgrade their certification to Standard v.4.0, are invited to email Brett Hazlett: mailto:[]