For us, sustainable healthcare means a lot. PVC’s contribution to sustainable healthcare encompasses the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability. The material is made from 57% salt, an abundant resource, and the rest of oil or natural gas. It is easily recyclable and in Australia and New Zealand around 170 hospitals collect PVC medical devices from non-infectious patients for recycling into useful products. A pilot project is also running in the UK. As it is a very affordable material, PVC has helped enable access to quality healthcare for the broader population.
VinylPlus® – a voluntary commitment to sustainable developmentThe European PVC industry is committed to sustainable development. This commitment is put into practice by VinylPlus, the 10-year Voluntary Commitment to sustainable development in Europe. The VinylPlus programme was developed through open dialogue with stakeholders, including industry, NGOs, regulators, civil society representatives and PVC users. Five key challenges for sustainable development have been identified on the basis of The Natural Step System Conditions for a Sustainable Society. The regional scope of the programme is the EU-28 plus Norway and Switzerland.
The founding members of VinylPlus are The European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM), European Stabiliser Producers Association (ESPA), European Plastics Converters (EuPC) and European Plasticisers.
Watch the short animation video to learn more about the VinylPlus programme and its achievements.
Measurable targets and third-party auditingThrough the VinylPlus® initiative, the European PVC industry is creating a long-term sustainability framework for the entire PVC value chain. It aims to:
Recycle 800,000 tonnes of PVC per year by 2020
Promote a sustainable use of additives
Improve PVC products sustainability and their contribution to sustainable development
Reduce progressively GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions as well as energy and resource consumption along the entire production chain
Move towards a low-carbon circular economy
Build sustainability awareness along the value chain and among stakeholders
"VinylPlus can be considered a frontrunner for the circular economy"
Gwenole Cozigou, Director, DG Growth, European Commission