Ruckus Updates

Target – PVC Day of Action

The Inflatable Rubber DuckyOn Wednesday, October 11, 2006, the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ), Making Our Milk Safe (MOMS), and the Center for Environmental Health held a news conference and protest outside of the Target store in Albany, CA urging them to phase out polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from their packaging and products. The Ruckus Society provided their expertise by helping to inflate a 20-foot Rubber Ducky to provide a backdrop for the event.

Environmental health leaders held a news conference and protest outside of Target in Albany, CA demanding safer products for their families. The news conference featured environmental health experts and mothers expressing their concerns of PVC is products.  After the news conference, the protest moved into the store as they marched and chanted "Target Phase Out Poison PVCs."

Over 20 Target stores nationwide faced similar protests of concerned customers. Also, on the same day, a massive Internet campaign featuring the new hilarious spoof video "Sam Suds and the Case of PVC, the Poison Plastic" at http://www.pvcfree.org.

Wal-Mart, Nike, Microsoft, Ikea, H&M, and Johnson and Johnson are all phasing-out PVC due to serious health and environmental problems associated with this poison plastic. Unfortunately, Target has refused to respond to over 60 environmental organizations who have been urging the company since March 2006 to begin replacing these hazardous materials with safe alternatives.

PVC plastic, commonly referred to as vinyl, is one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created. Vinyl is found in products such as some children’s toys, shower curtains, lunchboxes, shampoo bottles, and home building materials.

View more photos from the event here.