AdamsFilmAnnotation5

"Blue Vinyl" was directed by Judith Helfand, and was relased in 2002.

The central argument centered around the most enviornmentally harmful consumer product in the world, vinyl. This film argues that alternative materials could be used instead of vinyl or pvc and that the industry has a terrible history of cancer related incidents to factory/ plant workers, and air pollution in general.

The argument is sustained via emotional interveiws and accounts from various people who have been seriously harmed by these products, wether in the plants or from exposure in homes. By utilizing an experience lawyer, Billy, Judith was able to piece together a very compelling documentary film citing specefic inofrmation surroudning the European and American industries. By exposing the criminality of companies and producers, the film was able to appeal to the emotions of the innocent viewer.

This film drew out cultural, sustainable, and educational problems. The culture of American communities and neighborhoods all have vinyl or aluminum siding as opposed to other more eco-friendly materials. The economics of vinyl was also touched upon, as vinyl is less expensive than other products and sustianable issues were brought up becuase vinyl is rarely recycled because of the expense and its impracticality. It is often burned which releases toxic chemicals including dioxin and vinyl chloride. This film focused primarily on the relationship between this commodity and human health issues.

I liked the parts of the film where "Billy the lawyer" provided the perspective and context of the history of the industry and the bucket brigade team was also a cool part of this film. Having a lawyer who can cite legal documentation proving a story to be accurate is extremely compelling for me, the viewer. The bucket brigade clips showed how the problem has become so bad that indivudal community members are beginning to act by themselves.

I thought the film failed to give any indication of the future of the PVC industry, or new safety measures. I was not so convinced by the film that anything besides grassroots activism is being put in place for change to occur. I would have liked to have seen less familial interaction and more upper level government discussion.

This film best adresses the individual who are willing to fight an industry directyl and thiose independent grasroot activists can cause change, the individual who owns or has handled PVC before, and those that are interested in becoming aware of cancer rates in their community.

A more comprehensive look into where PVC goes after it is recycled or placed in landfills would have been sufficient to provide some environmental educational value.

The types of action that film promotes and advertizes is the bottom up approach of change, which begins with a group of passionate activists and can spark change within communities. Other than that the film didn't mention the types of solutions possible from legislative and state representatives, or from the EPA. I would suggest new laws regulating any industry whose products have been known to cause cancer. Plain and simple.

[] is a great source for understanding the wonderful yet polluting properties of plastic materials associated with vinyl. This site fails to mention the health and ecological issues, however will provide you with a good idea of how broad this industry impacts the world.

[] With a little digging I was able to find that Occidental Chemical corp. is the leader in emissions and pollution in America and indirectly attributes to some alarming cancer rates in communities located near operating plants.