PVC, a Recyclable Material

Fit for Recycling

PVC (polyvinyl chloride), commonly referred to as vinyl – is a plastic material made on basis of salt and oil. Since a significant proportion of its mass is chlorine, creating a given mass of PVC requires less petroleum than many other polymers. PVC is a thermoplastic material. Thermoplastic materials are those that can be melted again and again and after being heated to a certain temperature they will harden again as they cool.

It is used to make long-lasting products, often with a life-expectancy exceeding 60 years. In addition to its longevity, PVC is a material perfectly fit for recycling after its use.

PVC compounds are 100% recyclable physically, chemically or energetically. After mechanical separation, grinding, washing and treatment to eliminate impurities, it is reprocessed using various techniques (granulated or powder) and reused in the production.

PVC products serve long useful lives which diminishes the waste production in case when less durable products are used.

There are two principal ways to recycle PVC:

Mechanical recycling: PVC waste is ground into small pieces that can be processed into new PVC compounds ready for extrusion or lamination.
Feedstock recycling: PVC waste is broken down into its chemical constituents, which can be used again to make PVC or other materials.

Preserving Resources

Dumping PVC on a landfill takes up precious land and squanders valuable materials. Most PVC products are voluminous and light, and may last for hundreds of years without degrading.

As landfill is being progressively restricted within the European Union, recycling will gradually become the principal, if not the only option for many end-of-life PVC products.

Collection, of course, is the starting point for recycling. This is why we focus our efforts to encourage the collection and recycling processes by providing the financial incentives. At the end of the day, recycling will help us preserve fossil fuels and land for future generations.