ABSTRACT
Materials in the building industry contribute to the presence of forced labor in the supply chains of construction. This paper speaks to the evidence of a concatenated set of risks associated with the production, use, and disposal of fossil-fuel derived polymers, including health risks due to toxicity, exposure to forced labor, and human rights abuses. It discusses how the building industry participates in ‘violence capitalism’ while highlighting the case of one petrochemical company, among many, whose polymer based raw materials and finished products are ubiquitous across the entire life cycle of building. It also discusses more broadly the extent of such violations in the construction industry and concludes with a reminder that violence only begets more violence. Should we not begin to address the way in which individuals are placed at risk in the production of our building materials, as researchers, educators, and professionals we will continue to perpetuate harm to fellow humans in the built environment.
