Legacy and Emerging Plasticizers and Stabilizers in PVC Floorings and Implications for Recycling

Hazardous chemicals
in building and construction plastics can lead
to health risks due to indoor exposure and may contaminate recycled
materials. We systematically sampled new polyvinyl chloride floorings
on the Swiss market (n = 151). We performed elemental
analysis by X-ray fluorescence, targeted and suspect gas chromatography–mass
spectrometry analysis of ortho‑phthalates
and alternative plasticizers, and bioassay tests for cytotoxicity
and oxidative stress, and endocrine, mutagenic, and genotoxic activities
(for selected samples). Surprisingly, 16% of the samples contained
regulated chemicals above 0.1 wt %, mainly lead and bis(2-ethylhexyl)
phthalate (DEHP). Their presence is likely related to the use of recycled
PVC in new flooring, highlighting that uncontrolled recycling can
delay the phase-out of hazardous chemicals. Besides DEHP, 29% of the
samples contained other ortho-phthalates (mainly
diisononyl and diisodecyl phthalates, DiNP and DiDP) above 0.1 wt
%, and 17% of the samples indicated a potential to cause biological
effects. Considering some overlap between these groups, they together
make up an additional 35% of the samples of potential concern. Moreover,
both suspect screening and bioassay results indicate the presence
of additional potentially hazardous substances. Overall, our study
highlights the urgent need to accelerate the phase-out of hazardous
substances, increase the transparency of chemical compositions in
plastics to protect human and ecosystem health, and enable the transition
to a safe and sustainable circular economy.