Alternatives to Using PVC at Your Events

By
Barbara Scofidio
-
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
PVC, meetings
Every trade show still showcases thousands of square feet of banners—every day, all over the world.

If every meeting in the US used one banner, it would be enough vinyl to cover 760 football fields. That’s a scary statistic.

The reasons to do away with PVC banners are many. The vinyl chloride used in manufacturing has been identified as a possible cancer-causing agent, making it harmful for those who work with it. It’s also extremely difficult to recycle.

Yet every tradeshow/exhibition still showcases thousands of square feet of banners—every day, all over the world. In her Eventcellany blog, sustainability expert Shawna McKinley of MeetGreen offers the following alternatives to using vinyl at events:

• Name badge holders are commonly made with clear PVC vinyl. Instead, consider compostable PLA, recyclable PET or polypropylene (PP) plastic holders or holder-less badges made of paper.

• Flexible hanging banners and adhesive decals are often made of PVC vinyl. Why not use digital displays or other non-PVC flexible textiles, such as PP, PET or polyester?

• Rigid panels that are inserted into aluminum tracking frames for signs, registration counters and exhibit kiosks are made from PVC vinyl. Consider cardboard, non-toxic wood and fiberboard instead.

• Exhibit hall table cloths are also made of PVC vinyl. Instead, you can use paper or non-PVC coated cotton.

• Many promotional giveaway items are made of different kinds of plastics. Choose something else instead.

Learn more about the green benefits of using LED lighting at your events here.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Previous article7 Tips for Making Your Meetings More Experiential
Next articleNew Orleans’ Astor Crowne Plaza Makeover Brings History Back
Barbara Scofidio
Barbara Scofidio is Editor of Prevue and heads up the Visionary Summits, our exclusive conference series targeting senior-level meeting and incentive planners. In her 30 years in the industry, she has become known for her passion around greening meetings, growing awareness of human trafficking and promoting CSR activities as part of business events. She is currently a member of SITE's Women IN Leadership committee and the media liaison for FICP's Education Committee. She was the first member of the media ever to be invited to sit on a committee by GBTA, where she spent three years on the Groups and Meetings Committee. She has also been an active member of SITE for 30 years, chairing its Crystal Awards committee and acting as a judge. Before joining Prevue in 2014, she served as Editor of Corporate Meetings & Incentives (MeetingsNet) for more than 20 years. She has a BA in Literature/Rhetoric from Binghamton University. Barbara is based outside Boston, in Groton, Mass.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR