Sears will reduce PVC use

Hoffman Estates-based Sears Holdings Corp. said Wednesday it will move to phase out the use of PVC in packaging and merchandise at its Sears and Kmart stores, joining other retailers in targeting the plastic because of health and environmental concerns.

The company said it adopted a policy aimed at identifying more sustainable choices because of potential risks tied to the manufacture, use and disposal of polyvinyl chloride, known more commonly as PVC, or vinyl. Sears did not mention a timetable for the phaseout.

The department-store company follows Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and more recently Target Corp. in pledging to phase out PVC in products and packaging.

PVC plastic is used in a wide range of products that include clothing and upholstery, vinyl siding, hoses, pipes and building materials.

The Center for Health, Environment & Justice, a nonprofit that has been campaigning to educate retailers and the public about the dangers associated with PVC, hailed Sears' decision. The center says when produced or burned, PVC plastic releases dioxins that can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive systems.

As part of the policy, Sears said it will begin marking private-label merchandise as PVC-free when true and will encourage vendors to reduce or eliminate their use of PVC in merchandise and packaging.

"Sears Holdings recognizes the importance of being a positive, contributing member of the communities in which we work and live," the company said in a statement. "Part of that is tied to the company's commitment to environmental sustainability."