The European PVC industry launched on 22 June 2011 an ambitious new set of targets for sustainable development. The VinylPlus programme is built around five commitments aimed at: achieving a quantum leap in recycling rates of PVC and the development of innovative recycling technologies; addressing concerns about organochlorine emissions; ensuring the sustainable use of additives; enhancing energy efficiency and the use or renewable energy and raw materials in PVC production, and; promoting sustainability throughout the whole PVC value chain.
The new initiative builds on the success of the Vinyl 2010 ten year voluntary commitment to enhance the sustainable production and use of PVC. Vinyl 2010 is widely regarded as leading example of industry self-regulation working in practice and delivering concrete results. Among its most significant achievements was the establishment of an infrastructure for the annual collection and recycling of over 250,000 tonnes of PVC - which prior to 2000 had been dismissed by many as an “unrecyclable” material destined for landfill.
