Are pvc enclosures ok?

[Zoomin]

I've seen some pvc cages and I like that they could keep in spray and keep up humidity, but I'm not completely sold on the safety of pvc. What are your opinions on potential long term issues with pvc? I know lots of people have pvc cages and are doing fine, so I might just be being paranoid.

 

[jamest0o0]

What's your concern regarding them?

 

[nightanole]

Guess i should stop drinking water from my pvc pipes eh? But sounds like OP is worried more about expanded pvc foam board that beman is using right this second...

But hey all the high end cage producers use it for non chameleons.
https://reptilekages.com/collections

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Good question. The concern is PVC leaching or off-gassing vinyl chloride gas.

is vinyl chloride from pvc still an issue?

Like most plastics, there are pros & cons. I would think (hope?) mfrs. like Dragon Strand, Kages, Zen Habitats, et al would have looked into this before building cages out of the stuff.

I think the problems arise from improperly mfd. or cured products. Vinyl Chloride is not odorless. As with other kinds of products we use in enclosures (e.g. paints, sealers, finishes, etc.) if you stick your head inside and smell fumes, there may be a problem.

If there's still any concern, the better ventilated an enclosure is, the less risk (if there is any).

 

[nightanole]

The concern is PVC leaching or off-gassing vinyl chloride gas.

is vinyl chloride from pvc still an issue?

Like most plastics, there are pros & cons. I would think (hope?) mfrs. like Dragon Strand, Kages, Zen Habitats, et al would have looked into this before building cages out of the stuff.

I think the problems arise from improperly mfd. or cured products. Vinyl Chloride is not odorless. As with other kinds of products we use in enclosures (e.g. paints, sealers, finishes, etc.) if you stick your head inside and smell fumes, there may be a problem.

If there's still any concern, the better ventilated an enclosure is, the less risk (if there is any).

Maybe thats the bad pvc that is used for drainage only that will leach into water? Havent heard any issues from the sheets etc.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

AFAIK, PVC is PVC. I'd love to know different.

EDIT:
Just found this. Don't assume bias; it presents both sides.
Is PVC Safe? The Vinyl Debate

 

[SourGrape4u]

I think as long as the pvc is not heated to a melting or burning point it should not release fumes/gases. Kind of like anything else it has different states like solid/gas/liquid. Treated wood for example is ok to build a porch with but if you make a bonfire with it the fumes can be very dangerous and hazardous.

 

[Pickle-cham]

I have read article about how bad pvc is but it was by Greenpeace, so might be more to do with the manufacturing than anything else.
Like what has previously been mentioned it is used in water pipes but we do have chlorinated water already at least in uk anyway and in areas where ground water is used chloro-amines too.
Ive used a sheet on my background was going to do 3 sides but decided on just the one just incase. I concluded it must be negligible amounts leaching off over long periods of time.But to be on the safe side not to use too much incase uv accelerates this like new findings on polystyrene decomposition faster than originally thought due too uv.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

....
Like what has previously been mentioned it is used in water pipes but we do have chlorinated water already at least in uk anyway and in areas where ground water is used chloro-amines too.

I just came across this here...(US)

Is PVC safe for water pipes?

Plastic pipe such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride, used for cold water only), and CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, used for both hot and cold water) have been around for years, and both are approved for use with drinking water. ... Safety issues are mainly considered a concern in PVC pipe that was manufactured before 1977.
https://todayshomeowner.com/are-plastic-water-pipes-safe/

Ive used a sheet on my background was going to do 3 sides but decided on just the one just incase. I concluded it must be negligible amounts leaching off over long periods of time.But to be on the safe side not to use too much incase uv accelerates this like new findings on polystyrene decomposition faster than originally thought due too uv.

IDK the answer to that, but I think it's a valid question. For the most part, PVC piping (supply or drain) is hidden from sunlight (UV) and where it is exposed...
The Effect of Sunlight Exposure on PVC Pipe, Conduit, and Fittings
but that doesn't really address the questions we're asking (potential risks to reptiles).
There's much more of course, but I haven't gotten further into it, and I'm not a chemist.
pvc uv degradation

Sheet PVC, exposed directly in enclosures (albeit less intense than sunlight) is—AFAIK—an unknown.