Understanding PVA: Safe and Effective Use in Everyday Products

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) is a remarkable polymer widely used in cleaning, food, and health industries. Known for its safety and effectiveness, PVA plays a crucial role in ensuring detergent products are compact, concentrated, and easily dissolve in the wash.

What is Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)?

PVA is a synthetic polymer derived from ethylene gas and acetic acid. It is used to create water-soluble films, commonly found in single-dose detergents. These films dissolve in water, enabling efficient cleaning even at low temperatures.

Are PVA and Microplastics the Same?

No, PVA and microplastics differ significantly. PVA films are designed to dissolve in water, making them fundamentally different from the durable plastics that break down into microplastics. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that PVA film does not create microplastics.

What is PVA? - Table

How Does PVA Benefit the Environment?

One of the significant environmental advantages of PVA is its ability to support cold water washing, reducing energy consumption. PVA can also be used to create highly compacted and concentrated detergents that use less water and lighter packaging.

Safety and Regulatory Approval

PVA's safety is well-documented, backed by extensive research and regulatory approvals from agencies like the US EPA, FDA, and EFSA. These organizations confirm that PVA is safe for use in various products, including detergents, foods, and healthcare items.

Common Misunderstandings about PVA

There are misconceptions about PVA's safety. However, studies show no evidence of toxicity or bioaccumulation potential for the soluble form of PVA used in detergent pods and sheets. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that PVA does not create microplastics. See above chart for links to more information

Conclusion

PVA is a versatile and safe polymer with numerous applications across different industries. Its ability to dissolve in water makes it an excellent choice to deliver cleaning performance and environmental benefits from cold water washing. As a leader in laundry science, we continue to innovate and improve consumer awareness around water-soluble films.

FAQs

PVA is made from ethylene gas and acetic acid, combined to create a water-soluble film.

PVA is manufactured through smart chemistry, using ethylene gas and acetic acid to create a water-soluble polymer.

No, PVA is not a forever chemical; it is a completely different class of chemical.

After use in the washing machine or dishwasher, the dissolved PVA with the dirty wash water leaves your home through waste pipes and travels to a wastewater treatment plant where it is processed.

Key Highlights

  • PVA Safety: Polyvinyl Alcohol is safe for use in cleaning, food, and health industries.

  • Environmental Benefits: PVA supports cold water washing and there is overwhelming scientific evidence that PVA does not create microplastics.

  • Regulatory Approval: PVA is backed by extensive research and approved by major regulatory bodies.

Reference Links:

  1. Lack of Evidence for Microplastic Contamination from Water-Soluble Detergent Capsules

  2. EPA: Denial of Requested Rulemaking (Section IV, C.1)

  3. Some Properties of PVA and their Possible Applications

  4. OECD: Solution/Extraction Behaviour of Polymers in Water

  5. Defining the Conformation of Water-Soluble Poly(vinyl alcohol) in Solution: A SAXS, DLS, and AFM Study

  6. Bound water governs the single-chain property of Poly(vinyl alcohol) in aqueous environments

  7. Characterization of Partially Hydrolyzed Poly(vinyl alcohol). Effect of Poly(vinyl alcohol) Molecular Architecture on Aqueous Phase Conformation

  8. Microplastics as carriers of toxic pollutants: Source, transport, and toxicological effects

  9. Sorption Behavior and Mechanisms of Organic Contaminants to Nano and Microplastics

  10. Twenty years of microplastic pollution research—what have we learned?

  11. Water soluble polymer biodegradation evaluation using standard and experimental methods

  12. Application of standardized methods to evaluate the environmental safety of polyvinyl alcohol disposed of down the drain

  13. Biodegradability of Polyvinyl Alcohol Based Film Used for Liquid Detergent Capsules

  14. Multi-laboratory evaluation of the reproducibility of polymer biodegradation assessments applying standardized and modified respirometry methods

  15. Analytical methods to measure microplastics in drinking water

  16. Plastic Debris in 29 Great Lakes Tributaries: Relations to Watershed Attributes and Hydrology

  17. Chemical composition of microplastics floating on the surface of the Mediterranean Sea

  18. From the Caribbean to the Arctic, the most abundant microplastic particles in the ocean have escaped detection

  19. Review of the oral toxicity of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)

  20. EFSA: Opinion of the Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) related to the use of polyvinyl alcohol as a coating agent for food supplements

  21. EPA: Denial of Requested Rulemaking (Section V, B.2)

  22. Contribution of household dishwashing to microplastic pollution

  23. A systematic review of microplastics emissions in kitchens: Understanding the links with diseases in daily life

  24. Release of Micro- and Nanosized Particles from Plastic Articles during Mechanical Dishwashing

  25. Release of primary microplastics from consumer products to wastewater in the Netherlands

  26. Human exposure to PM10 microplastics in indoor air

  27. Assessment of Toxicity and Biodegradability of Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Based Materials in Marine Water

  28. International Journal of Toxicology: Final Report On the Safety Assessment of Polyvinyl Alcohol

  29. EPA: Denial of Requested Rulemaking (Section V, B.4a and 4b)

  30. MSU CRIS: Trending – Polyvinyl Alcohol

  31. MSU CRIS: In the news – Polyvinyl Alcohol

  32. Are We Speaking the Same Language? Recommendations for a Definition and Categorization Framework for Plastic Debris

  33. EPA: Denial of Requested Rulemaking (Section V, B.2 and Section V, B.3)