PVC | SUSTAINABILITY
New platform for vinyls in healthcare
VinylPlus Healthcare is a new platform in Europe integrating the activities of the now-closed PVCMed Alliance while continuing the recy- cling efforts of the VinylPlus Med and VinylPlus PharmPack programmes. “VinylPlus Healthcare was created to bring together expertise and efforts from different initiatives, ensuring a more coordinated and effective approach,” said Ole Grøndahl Hansen, Project Leader of VinylPlus Healthcare.
“With this platform, we hope to foster a more nuanced debate on vinyl in the healthcare sector – one that recognises both its technical benefits and its evolving sustainability profile,” he said. One of its first activities was to commission Aimplas in Spain for a
study on recycling flexible PVC which is widely used in medical devices. Findings from the study confirm that flexible PVC can be mechanically recy- cled up to six times without compro- mising its technical properties. These findings reinforce vinyl’s key
role in a circular healthcare economy, said VinylPlus Healthcare. The use of PVC leads to reduced waste, opti- mised resource efficiency and maintaining the highest standards of patient safety, it said.
incineration to recover heavy metals from fly ash. While that seems encouraging, there are hurdles
to clear if the process is to be used across the EU. Firstly, only about 30% of Europe’s WTE plants have scrubbers and only a few currently purify hydro- chloric acid to technical grade material needed for the RecoSalt process. There is little political or economic support for the process and would involve extra costs to introduce as a retrofit. Laminated composites containing PVC can be
hard to recycle, but a project got underway at Centexbel’s facility in Grâce-Hollogne, Belgium. This was scheduled to conclude in a pilot plant this year, but it proved more difficult to get started than expected and deadlines have been pushed back. It is based around the Australian PVCS separating technology which delaminates polymers from composite structures to help further recycling. Designing for recycling and reuse is driven by the
EC’s Standardisation Mandate, which supports the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy. Last year the EPPA led development of “Design for recycling of PVC based profiles for construction products” in CEN Technical Committee 249 WG21. This standard stresses the need for recycled content, recyclability and product quality. At the same time a similar standard for floor coverings including those made with PVC was launched. And in the world of thermoplastic pipes used to supply water or in construction projects, a similar set of guidelines is due to be launched this year. The environmental impact of PVC extends beyond the materials themselves. The impact of energy used to make the raw materials, the polymers, compounds, processing, installation and sometimes use need to be considered. Carbon Minds, a consultancy, carried out lifecycle analysis of six different PVC uses to see
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where there are chances to make greater water and energy savings along the value chain. In France, for example, the Syndicat National de Extrusion Plastique started work to develop a decarbonisation road map aimed at reducing carbon emissions from PVC profiles used in construction. After monitoring indicators, the process will set out short- and medium-term goals. The sustainability footprint of additives is also being addressed by VinylPlus and its additive partners. These are working to ensure that not only do additives meet current standards, but continue to be safe, high performing products that meet the needs of the foreseeable future. The Additive Sustainability Footprint methodol- ogy was used in a training programme with 15 additives companies in 2024. As well as under- standing how to drive innovation for sustainable use of additives, the participants were given advice and insights from sustainability advisors to help them obtain VinylPlus Supplier Certification for additive producers
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.vinylplus.eu �
https://rewindo.de �
www.metal-plast.pl �
www.teppfa.eu �
www.bpf.co.uk �
www.gerflorgroup.com �
www.terra.coop/fr �
www.ivv.fraunhofer.de �
https://pvc4cables.org �
https://arcus-greencycling.com �
www.centexbel.be �
www.carbon-minds.com �
https://snep.org �
https://vinylplushealthcare.eu
November 2025 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 39
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