The PVC Geomembrane Institute (PGI) is pleased to announce that the PGI Specification 1103 has been updated. The index test for Average Plasticizer Molecular Weight has been added to the PGI Specification effective January 1, 2004. This index test is required to be tested once per formulation of material. Increasing the plasticizer molecular weight of the plasticizer increases the amount of plasticizer that is retained over time. Thus, increasing the plasticizer molecular weight increases the long-term flexibility and thus the durability of PVC geomembranes.
The change is important because the requirement of 400 Average Plasticizer Molecular Weight helps further define PVC geomembrane versus PVC sheet not suitable for geomembrane applications. A copy of the PGI specification is available on the PGI website, http://pgi-tp.cee.uicu.edu.
According to Patrick Diebel, President of PGI, this new requirement “is an added measure to ensure only high quality PVC is used. This average plasticizer molecular weight assures that the best ingredients are used in formulating a PVC geomembrane.”
Tim Stark stated that “PGI is committed to consistently improving the methods for defining quality PVC geomembranes. Expect more work of this nature to come from PGI during 2004 including the inclusion of leachate resistance to the PGI 1104 specification”
For more information on PGI, contact Laurie Honnigford, at 651-554-1895.

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