Luxury Vinyl Tile is taking over the world of flooring: it mimics the look of wood or stone tile without the same installation or maintenance needs. It is cheap, waterproof, and durable. And manufacturers have been making sustainability claims arguing that they avoid chemicals or achieve a lower carbon footprint. Given that it is a synthetic plastic polymer, aka petrochemical product, one wonders how sustainable or healthy it can be?

Join us to peek behind the scenes of this popular material which is a material health dilemma!

The Center for Environmental Health, Material Research L3C and Autocase will share their current research (hot off the press) into what we need to know about LVT and why alternatives for flooring are in urgent demand.

This event is part of The Fall of Plastics, a 3-part lecture series that addresses the need to radically reduce plastics in our lives. From their significant carbon emissions, to bringing toxics into our bodies, to creating waste that is accumulating exponentially each day, petroleum based plastic materials need to be questioned.

Jimena Diaz Leiva, PhD

Jimena Diaz Leiva is the Science Director at the Center for Environmental Health, where she works to protect people and the environment from exposure to toxic chemicals. Jimena holds a PhD in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley and a BA in Ecology and Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College.

Jim Vallette

Jim Vallette leads Material Research, which works in collaboration with groups around the world to advance environmental and public health and social justice. Jim’s research is always impressively thorough and revealing, and has been fundamental to establishing the field of Material Health. Last month, Jim’s report titled, “The New Coal: Plastics & Climate Change” was released by the advocacy group, Beyond Plastics.

Judy Levin

Judy Levin is the past Pollution Prevention Director and the current Senior Advisor to the Built Environment Program at the Center for Environmental Health. Judy led CEH’s Built Environment program for more than a decade and continues to assist large purchasers from government, higher education, healthcare and private corporations on how to identify and procure environmentally preferable products used within the built environment.

Eric Bill

Eric Bill is the Chief Economist at Autocase and leads the research and economics advisory teams. Eric has extensive experience leveraging economic concepts and data analytics to incorporate sustainability, resilience, and social outcomes into decision making for capital projects, programs, and policies across all infrastructure and real estate sectors. He has been involved in hundreds of projects involving quantitative data analytics, ESG valuation, and risk assessments supporting all levels of governments across North America, as well as corporations, investors, NGO’s and non-profits.