Vinyl 2010 builds upon the principles of Responsible Care adopted by the European chemical industry in the late 1980s. Here are some of the main dates in the evolution of the Vinyl 2010 initiative:

1995: PVC resin producers (ECVM members) sign the first European PVC Industry charter setting challenging emission limits for the production of vinyl chloride monomer - a precursor to PVC - and for the production of suspension PVC.

1997: European Commission decides to undertake a "horizontal initiative'' to develop a policy that could be applied to all PVC waste streams. It launched five independent studies leading to the adoption of a Green Paper on PVC in July 2000.

1998: PVC resin producers (ECVM members) sign the second Industry Charter for production of emulsion PVC.

2000: Vinyl 2010 is born. The actors in the European PVC chain unite their efforts to deliver responsible product and waste management over the next 10 years through a Voluntary Commitment.

2000: The international environmental NGO, The Natural Step, establishes that PVC can be considered a sustainable material. 

2001: Following a wide range of comments Vinyl 2010 agrees on a revised and expanded Voluntary Commitment and publishes the first of its annual progress reports.

2002: ECVM, ECPI, ESPA and the European Mine Chemical and Energy Workers Federation (EMCEF) sign a social charter establishing a Forum for Social Dialogue in the PVC Industry.

2002: The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development underscores the important role to be played by industry in the global effort toward a more equitable and sustainable society.

2002:  Vinyl 2010 acquires the legal status of an international non-profit association.

2003: A Monitoring Committee comprising members of the EU Commission and Parliament, trade unions and industry is created under the chairmanship of a leading academic.

2004: Vinyl 2010 is recognised as an official partnership of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development.