PVC - present in virtually all areas of human activity, is a chlorinated hydrocarbon polymer - its basic building blocks are chlorine, carbon and hydrogen. These elements are obtained from sea salt (sodium chloride) and crude oil or natural gas, both of which are mixtures of hydrocarbons. PVC is a thermoplastic. This means that it softens upon heating and hardens upon cooling.PVC was first used instead of rubber to insulate the wires in electrical cables. This was about 60 years ago, during World War II when rubber was in short supply. Since then it has replaced rubber for insulation and found many other applications. These days, it's the second most popular plastic in the world.

PVC - present in virtually all areas of human activity, is a chlorinated hydrocarbon polymer - its basic building blocks are chlorine, carbon and hydrogen. These elements are obtained from sea salt (sodium chloride) and crude oil or natural gas, both of which are mixtures of hydrocarbons. PVC is a thermoplastic. This means that it softens upon heating and hardens upon cooling.PVC was first used instead of rubber to insulate the wires in electrical cables. This was about 60 years ago, during World War II when rubber was in short supply. Since then it has replaced rubber for insulation and found many other applications. These days, it's the second most popular plastic in the world.