Recovinyl tops million mark in the UK

United Kingdom – More than one million PVC-U post-consumer window frames are being recycled in the UK every year through Recovinyl, the PVC industry’s recycling scheme.

Latest audited figures show that end-of-life windows and profiles comprised 25 480 tonnes (52%) of the total 48 544 tonnes of PVC recycled in 2011. Other materials collected and recycled through the Recovinyl programme included pipes and fittings, cables, flexible PVC and rigid PVC films.

The windows and profiles recycling figure equates to roughly 1.25 million frames or enough replacement windows for around 122 000 houses and flats – almost as many as the 137 000 new dwellings built in the UK throughout 2011.

As the PVC industry’s recycling scheme, Recovinyl is also an initiative of VinylPlus, the 10-year voluntary commitment of the European PVC industry, which is tackling the sustainability challenges for PVC and delivery of fresh recycling targets to 2020. These targets include 800 000 tonnes to be reused in all European countries by 2020 – with 700 000 tonnes mechanically recycled and the rest using new technologies for more difficult-to-recycle or contaminated PVC.

For more information, visit: www.axionconsulting.co.uk