In recent years, the PVC sector opened a dialogue with the general public, the media, politicians and scientists. The new approach has also been encouraged by the AgPU – Arbeitsgemeinschaft PVC und Umwelt e. V., of which SolVin is a member.

This dialogue has, since then, resulted in a clearly improved mutual understanding, greatly contributing to the correct technical understanding which is essential to any appraisal of PVC. Prominent personalities, such as Professor O. Renn (former head of the Stuttgarter Akademie für Technikfolgenabschätzung), Prof. H. Greim (member of the Scientific Committee of the EU) and Dr. W. Kaden (former Editor-in-Chief of Manager-Magazin and Der Spiegel) now meet at regular intervals.

Summaries of the discussions have been published in “transparent“, a newspaper. The most recent issue, no. 03 (December 2003), is dedicated to the topic of “Risk Perception and Readiness for Dialogue“, available on-line at www.transparent-online.de.