The Plastic Back process separates carbon and chlorine from discarded PVC, and the pilot plant will be sited at Freepoint Eco-Systems’ site in Hebron, Ohio. | Photo courtesy Plastic Back
Plastic Back, an Israeli startup, is taking a major step toward solving one of the toughest challenges in plastics recycling: recovering value from mixed plastic waste that includes PVC.
Health care workers can earn rewards for recycling IV bags, and redeem them for a pair of Vida sneakers made using recycled PVC | Photo Courtesy of Orbia
PVC and medical waste are both areas often considered to be non-starters for plastics recyclers. But global vinyl producer Orbia is expanding its program that incorporates both, as well as helping improve the standard of living for some of the most vulnerable people in the recycling system. Continue Reading
The Vinyl Sustainability Council reported an annual estimated North American PVC recycling figure of 1.1 billion pounds, which includes both post-industrial and post-consumer. | Warin Keawchookul/Shutterstock
Plastics recycling firms continue to process about 958 million pounds of post-industrial PVC and 142 million pounds of post-consumer, non-packaging PVC each year, together accounting for an estimated 27% of annual North American PVC waste generation, the Vinyl Sustainability Council said this week. Continue Reading
The maker of composite decking and other architectural elements used less recycled material but expanded its recycled PVC collection program. | Courtesy of Azek
Chicago-based composite decking company Azek used about 16% less recycled material in fiscal 2023 than in the previous year, according to its latest sustainability report.
Three organizations won grants to further projects to increase the recyclability of PVC. | Saravutpics/Shutterstock
The Vinyl Institute has awarded almost $332,000 in recycling grants to three organizations to help keep PVC out of landfills and in productive use in society, the organization recently announced. Continue Reading
Two industry organizations have given more than $1.3 million in grants over the last several months. | Dmitry Demidovich/Shutterstock
In the last several months, the Foodservice Packaging Institute’s Foam Recycling Coalition has given out multiple grants for foam densifiers and the Vinyl Institute awarded nine grants to improve PVC recycling systems. Continue Reading
Azek uses an average of 85% recycled content in its TimberTech Composite Decking. | Photo courtesy Azek
Recycled plastic end user Azek reported higher sales of its residential products in the 2023 fiscal year, a category that includes decking and trim made from recycled PE and PVC. The company also reported increasing its use of recycled plastic throughout 2023. Continue Reading
AZEK Company recycles post-consumer polyethylene into its TimberTech brand of composite lumber. | Courtesy of AZEK
AZEK Company has joined several other recycled resin end users in experiencing a softening of demand, resulting in falling sales. Continue Reading
End users in the decking and insulation markets reported using more recycled content in 2020. | saravutpics / Shutterstock
Composite decking producer Azek leveraged more recycled material in its 2020 fiscal year, and insulation manufacturer Kingspan reported that it’s now taking in RPET.
