PVC recycling | processing
A number of initiatives in Europe are helping the PVC industry to move closer to its target of recycling 800,000 tonnes per year. Lou Reade reports
PVC recycling still on the rise in Europe
PVC recycling in Europe is still rising – and is on track to reach a key target set by the industry. Recycling levels exceeded 560,000 tonnes last year.
These latest results were announced at the PVC 2017 conference by Brigitte Dero, general manager of VinylPlus – the European PVC industry’s 10-year voluntary commitment to sustainability. More than 3.5 million tonnes of PVC has now been
recycled since 2000, says VinylPlus. The largest volumes are from window profiles, followed by cables and flexible applications, pipes and fittings. The target is to recycle 800,000 tonnes per year by 2020. At the current rate of growth in recycling, this looks achievable: the amount recycled in 2016 was nearly 11% higher than it was in 2015. If this rate of growth can be sustained, the industry will hit its 2020 target. “VinylPlus is now considered by many as a frontrun-
ner for the circular economy,” she said. “We reached this position by achieving significant and concrete results and have consistently demonstrated our commitment through action.” VinylPlus says it is important to guarantee the safety
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and quality of recycled PVC, which is supported by traceability and certification schemes for recyclates. With recycling increasing each year, work is underway to include schemes like EuCertPlast as standard criteria for secondary raw materials. This would stimulate demand and help to prevent the loss of these valuable materials from a circular economy, says VinylPlus. “We have demonstrated through the VinylPlus
Voluntary Commitment that we can divert from landfill significant volumes of PVC waste, thereby contributing to resource efficiency,” Dero added. Other recent achievements include the development of an Additives Sustainability Framework – a new science-based system for assessing the sustainable use of additives in PVC products. The first ASF is almost complete for window profiles.
Green hosing While the top-line figure for PVC recycling grows every year, it is because of the existence of a number of recognised schemes – and the efforts of individual companies.
May 2017 | PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION 21
Main iamge: Window
profiles are
still the main source of
recycled PVC
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