It comes with many other names, such as PVC free modular floorings, PVC free rigid core PP flooring, PVC free graphic floorings, PVC free hybrid floorings, PVC free resilient floorings, PVC Free PP floorings, and more. With multiple names its confusing for the consumers to tell preciously what it is when it comes to the material makeup of this new rigid core flooring. However, disregarding its naming, there is one thing in common: the names indicate a movement that shifts from conventional PVC based composition into PVC free compositions.
PVC Free Rigid core flooring is a rigid core vinyl flooring without vinyl!
Historic Development in Resilient Vinyl Floorings
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) has long been a material that is widely used in the building material industry. While PVC was originally invented by Eugen Baumann in 1873, the application of PVC into floorings had only started and been widely applied since the 1930s. PVC floorings since then have gone through multiple stages where different forms of flooring products were developed and introduced into the market.
In the 21st century, the most common known PVC flooring has been Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) and Stone Plastic Composite SPC tiles. LVT flooring has been on the market since the 1960s, and SPC flooring, as an upgrade to the LVT, was invented in 2010s and started gaining strong popularity since 2017.
The latest development in Stone Plastic Composite SPC tiles has been involved in the subject of substituting PVC polymers with other non-vinyl plastic materials such as polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene terephthalate glycol.
Movement into PVC Free Rigid Core PP Flooring Development Trend
There are both environmental and health safety concern in the application and use of PVC products. While it is debatable whether PVC-containing products, such as LVT or SPC, are 100% health safe for consumers, most experts have agreed that during the manufacturing process and recycling process of PVC products, chlorine and dioxin are released into the environment, which causes environmental concern and health concerns.
As a result, there are many countries, regions, semi-government organizations, independent associations, and even industrial leaders pushing and promoting towards PVC free production.
Top Rank Concerns in PVC Polymer Compositions
Toxic Concerns
PVC production has a high level of chlorine content and is potentially associated with other harmful substances such as mercury, asbestos, fluorinated substances, phthalates, and other related production used chemicals.
Carbon Footprint Concerns
Among the most commonly used plastic polymers, PVC production has significantly higher energy consumption and carbon dioxide gas emission. It therefore has a higher impact on the potential cause of global warming when compared to other types of plastic polymers.
Product End of Life Treatment Concerns
A high proportion of PVC-produced products ended up in landfills or incinerators. When PVC is burned, high concentrations of hazardous dioxins are released into the environment. Recycling of PVC is also challenging, as it has dehydrochlorination concerns and has additives that need to be super-separated to recycle.
External Articles Pros & Cons for PVC Free Rigid Core PP Flooring
PVC Free Pros
Mega Trend towards PVC free rigid core PP Flooring Development Trend
As the general public and consumers are becoming more concerned with PVC applied consumer products, products such as PVC floorings will eventually be targeted as one of the products to be phased out. The European market now are already phasing out flexible packaging that is made of PVC and we see this as a signal that eventually will come to PVC floorings.
The industry experts from the flooring sector are also responding that during these years of building material trade exhibitions, we are seeing more brands to display and market vinyl free flooring products. Meanwhile, many specialized vinyl flooring manufacturers are also working on vinyl-free flooring products to replace the existing luxury vinyl tiles LVT and rigid core SPC floorings.
Brief conclusion on Vinyl Free Rigid Core PP Flooring Development
There is no doubt that vinyl free floorings will eventually be the mainstream for the floor covering sectors. The current LVT and SPC provide an excellent option for home decorations with a limited budget, and the design selections are almost endless, which allows for more aesthetic renovations. However, to transit from vinyl based flooring into vinyl free based flooring, there are still cost factors which are limiting the rapid market penetration for vinyl free floorings.