Eight percent recycling increase
Eurocell processed the equivalent of 3.2 million PVCU window frames during 2019, a year-on-year increase of 8%.
Having invested £millions over recent years in developing the capabilities of its recycling facilities, the company was able to stop tens of thousands of tonnes of PVCU from ending up in landfill, which is approximately the same weight as 3,700 double-decker buses.
Eurocell has continuously upgraded the capabilities of its Ilkeston and Selby-based recycling operations since 2009. Eurocell Recycle, which employs 150 people, is the largest operation of its kind in the UK, the company said.
The facilities allow the entire lifespan of a window profile to become more sustainable. When windows reach the end of their life, they are shredded, granulated and micronised. Using the granulated PVCU, Eurocell then extrudes new profiles. This process can be repeated up to 10 times using the same material, giving recycled PVCU windows a lifespan of 350 years or more.
Eurocell’s recent eBook – Sorting It: A guide to PVCU Sustainability; Separating fact from fiction – includes information regarding the use of durable, long-term building products and the opportunity they offer for a more sustainable future.
Chris Coxon, group head of marketing at Eurocell, said: “Operating in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way has never been more important, or topical.
“It’s something that we’re highly conscious of – and have been acting on – for more than a decade now. So it’s fantastic to have once again made significant progress in output.
“We’re working hard to ensure that Eurocell Recycle, our dedicated recycling division, continues to make a real impact. We plan to consistently increase these figures announced today and lead the positive work going on within our industry.”