PVC Recycling ‘On The Rise’

By martinvale, May 29 2015 03:03PM The recycling of PVC plastics such as Darvic, Pacton and so on appears to be increasing, with new figures indicating that the UK contributed some 20 per cent to the total amount recycled in 2014. Axion Consulting operates the Recovinyl recycling scheme in the UK, part of VinylPlus – the voluntary commitment of the European PVC industry which tackles sustainability issues for the sector and is working towards the recycling targets set out for 2020. New opportunities for recycling PVC include medical waste such as oxygen and IV bags, to which end a new research project RecoMed has been set up. “Good quality recycled material can be reused sustainably in so many diverse new products, from construction products such as windows, to flooring and electrical components. Demand from manufacturers is continuing to grow,” project manager for Recovinyl Janer Gardner remarked. Post-industrial grade PVC waste includes cladding installation material, scraps and off-cuts from window installations, scrap material from roller shutter installations, ending rolls of laminate or film applications and the waste created from cable production. Post-consumer PVC waste is often comprised of mixed products and may contain traces of other substances and materials, so extra sorting and cleaning is required in order to finish the recycling process. Examples of this type of waste include advertising banners, window profiles, cables and pipes taken from the ground because of damage or renovation. If businesses are unsure what grade of waste they have, they can always get in touch with those at Recovinyl to seek further advice and information.