Reasons for choosing a PVC free Yoga Mat

"Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos - the trees, the clouds, everything."
- Thich Nhat Hanh

Truth must be told: the main ingredient of yoga mats is polyvinyl chloride (or "PVC," also known as "vinyl"), an environmental toxin.

Polyvinyl chloride is widely considered to be the most toxic plastic. Vinyl chloride, the base ingredient in PVC, is a known carcinogen, and those who work in PVC plants suffer elevated health risks. Dioxins and other carcinogens are byproducts of its manufacture. When making yoga mats, plasticizers are added to make to make the PVC soft and sticky. It's not usually possible to know the exact ingredients of any given mat, but the most common additives include lead, cadmium, and a class of chemicals called of phthalates, which disrupt the endocrine system among many other health problems. These additives off-gas and leach during product use, and are also known to seep into groundwater once the product goes to landfill.

PVC does not biodegrade, and it remains on the shelf, in the environment, or in the landfill. Sometimes landfills catch on fire, and then the PVC releases dioxin, hydrochloric acid, and other toxins. PVC is extremely difficult to recycle, which is why so little of it is recaptured.

Greenpeace, Health Care Without Harm, the Center for Environmental Health, Green Sangha, the International Firefighters' Association, and the Plastics Recycling Coalition are all working to phase out PVC or to minimize its use.

The good news is that many companies are now offering environmental friendly yoga mats that are Eco-friendly (100% biodegradable and recyclable), and Health-friendly (latex-, PVC-, and chloride-free).

Here is one option for those of you who ae shopping for a new mat.

EnviroMats

For those of you who are wondering what to do with your old mat, we are researching that issue, and we will post suggestions as soon as possible.

Notes:

* Information about the toxicity and recyclability of PVC may be found on these websites: noharm.org; bluevinyl.org; myhouseisyourhouse.org; greenpeace.org ; grrn.org/pvc; cdc.gov/exposurereport; ourstolenfuture.org, ecologycenter.org