Sustainability performance improved

VinylPlus recycled 771,313 tonnes of PVC in 2019, more than 96% of the programme’s 2020 target, as presented in the organisation’s recent 2020 Progress Report.

“Over the last 20 years, VinylPlus has worked tirelessly to tackle the challenges of circularity,” Brigitte Dero, managing director of VinylPlus, said. “We continuously aim to improve our sustainability performance embracing the European Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and other policy initiatives impacting the plastics sector.”

Through its voluntary commitment, the European PVC industry has recycled 5.7 million tonnes of PVC since 2000, preventing the release of 11.4 million tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere.

Following the European Commission’s call for the entire plastics industry to boost recycling, VinylPlus committed to recycling at least 900,000 tonnes of PVC per year into new products by 2025.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) confirmed that recycling end-of-life PVC products is the best waste management option from both an environmental and human health point of view. Recycling PVC significantly reduces potential greenhouse gas emissions as for each kilo of PVC recycled, two kilos of CO₂ are saved. The alternative scenarios would result in wasting material that would otherwise be recycled and reused.

VinylPlus also addresses other sustainability topics such as energy and climate change, sustainable material sourcing and production and the responsible use of additives.