PVC | RECYCLING


The transition to circularity in major PVC-using industries is being maintained through recycling programmes, partnerships and innovation. Written by Mikell Knights


Commitment to recycling continues in PVC sector


PVC recycling seeks to be a more indispensable sustainability and circularity solution in a wider range of market sectors. Windows and profiles, building and construction, flooring and medical sectors are industry sectors seeing interest increase for schemes that can reduce carbon footprint and energy by recovering and reprocessing waste materials into high quality flexible and rigid products. Research and innovation in PVC recycling and compounding, the continued improvement and establishment of collection and recycling schemes, startup of new technical projects, and greater support and execution of initiatives and pro- grammes are being supported or established to increase the rates of recycling of PVC from post- industrial and post-consumer applications. Participants in PVC recycling are testing various


approaches to increase collection rates or raise the quality of the recyclate. Efforts to establish closed-


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


or controlled-loop systems that ensure high quality recyclate are in development, and devices are being evaluated that can detect banned additives in waste PVC to keep them out of the recycling stream to increase feedstock purity. VinylPlus, the European PVC industry’s volun- tary commitment to sustainably produce, use and recycle PVC, said in its 2024 Progress Report that 737,645 tonnes of PVC waste were recycled within the EU-27 plus Norway, Switzerland and the UK in 2023. This was down by 9.3% from the 813,266 tonnes recycled in 2022. Converters in the VinylPlus framework that


registered how much recycled PVC has been used in new products reported the volume at 469,916 tonnes in 2023, down 16.4% from the 561,795 tonnes reported for 2022. VinyPlus is committed to recycling at least 900,000 tonnes/yr of PVC into new products by 2025 and 1m tonnes/yr by 2030. Karl-Martin Schellerer, Chairman of VinylPlus,


January/February 2025 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 29


Main image: Vinyl flooring recycling is the focus of collaborative projects in Italy and Germany


IMAGE: AGPR


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