Sears said Wednesday it plans to phase out products and packaging containing polyvinyl chloride, citing associated health and environmental concerns.

"The company adopted a policy aimed at identifying more sustainable choices, given the potential health and environmental risks tied to the manufacture, use and disposal of PVC," the Illinois-based company said in a release.

The synthetic resin is used in an array of products including toys, clothing, bottles, pipes and window frames.

Sears said it plans to show preference for PVC-free products and encourage vendors to reduce or eliminate use of the compound in products and packaging. Vendors will also be encouraged to label PVC-free products as such, the company said.

Sears's announcement follows a move by Vancouver-based retailer Mountain Equipment Co-op last week to pull products containing bisphenol-A, a chemical found in trace amounts in some hard plastics.

The federal government is looking into whether BPA poses any health threats to humans. Health Canada is expected to release its findings by May.