As wildfires driven by climate change are spurring efforts to build homes with fire-safe materials, the dangers of the use of plastic in construction needs more recognition, experts say.
Plastic in both the exteriors and interiors of homes burns far hotter than do traditional building materials such as wood or other natural products.
That poses not only increased fire danger, but the burning plastic also produces toxic smoke and runoff that can have an impact for hundreds of miles.
“It’s hidden in plain sight,” said Gina Ciganik, chief executive of Habitable, a nonprofit that promotes healthier buildings.
The construction industry is the second-largest user of plastic worldwide, behind packaging, and that rate is expected to double by mid-century, according to research.
Plastic building materials are used because “they deliver strong, reliable performance,” said Ross Eisenberg, president of America’s Plastic Makers, which represents producers.
Here’s what to know:
How are plastics used in building construction?
Before the 1950s, very little plastic was used in construction, but trends have changed dramatically.
Today, most buildings and homes are made “primarily from plastic,” according to a September report from Habitable and the Plastic Pollution Coalition, an advocacy group.
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When compared with natural building materials, plastics burn hotter, faster, release more toxic chemicals and leave behind toxic ash.
Teresa McGrath, chief research officer, Habitable
That includes usage in windows, siding, flooring, paint, decking, carpet backing, wall coverings, roofing materials, insulation, pipes and furniture.
Recycled plastics are also increasingly being used, for instance as concrete aggregate or to create bricks.
The construction industry today uses some 20 per cent of plastic globally, and that figure is set to double by 2050, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and estimates by researchers at the University of California.
Construction also uses more than two-thirds of all poly vinyl chloride (PVC), one of the most toxic types of plastic in use.
