More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling – Need for Regulation

Abstract

On the basis of a stocktaking on PVC in Europe and on a current ECHA investigation report, we conclude that regulatory action at EU level is recommended. We support ECHA's regulatory proposals in the main, but come to a more comprehensive proposal for the phasing-out of PVC beyond the area of electrical installations. PVC stored in buildings and infrastructure to date amounts to around 160 million tonnes ("stock") and this mass is still increasing. Parts from the stock have entered the waste management sector for years and their mass is gradually increasing. Neither material, chemical nor energy recovery will be able to absorb these incoming quantities. We therefore come to the conclusion that PVC should be collected separately and disposed of in an infrastructure designed for chlorine recovery. The required infrastructure should be set up and operated by the chemical industry. So, PVC will lose its status as a particularly economically favorable plastic. In view of the constantly increasing stock, we recommend phasing-out the production of virgin PVC as early as possible. In our opinion, this would also be justifiable because the effects of the closed loop recycling announced by VinylPlus ('Vinyl') would go in the same direction.