Though the dangers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are increasingly well known (lead, hormone-disrupting chemicals, non-recyclable, offgassing for years, etc. etc.), it’s not always easy to source back-to-school stuff for our kids that’s free of the ubiquitous chemical. For one thing, it’s cheap to manufacture — making it a darling of dime-store back-to-school stuff. While you might see PVC stamped on various items (plastic pencil boxes, for example) it’s more likely you’ll find no evidence of what the item is made of. However, give it a sniff. PVC has a distinctive beach ball or shower curtain smell (I’m always reminded of the smell of my Barbie camper, Christmas morning circa 1973). If it smells, turn up your nose at it, figuratively speaking.
PVC is common in backpacks (the ones with plastic on them depicting cartoon characters are often culprits), running shoes (again, avoid plastic-y shoes), and raingear, among other things. To find out more, click here for a great guide to PVC-free school supplies.