Two things are certaIn about the sustainability of PVC. First, the material is routinely recycled. Second, many PVC products last for decades, significantly reducing their environmental footprint. Nevertheless, we routinely spot news coverage that overlooks these facts. MIT Technology Review’s October 12 story “Think that your plastic is being recycled? Think again” is a textbook example.
Here are several important points we asked the publication to share with its readers:
While some researchers claim that PVC can’t be recycled, the reality is that more than 1 billion pounds of the material are recycled annually in North America at more than 100 vinyl recyclers. Since 2014, post-consumer PVC recycling has increased by more than 40 percent.
Moreover, the unmatched durability of vinyl products dramatically reduces the amount of plastic in circulation. PVC water pipes, for example, have a service life in excess of a century, according to research conducted by Utah State University’s Buried Structures Laboratory.
Utilizing sustainable plastics is an important step toward a circular economy, and that’s precisely why eliminating PVC would be a mistake.