Are there better possibilities than landfill and incineration?

Landfilling is an unsustainable waste treatment option for all plastics, not only for PVC. A study carried out in 2002-2003 in order to compare different end of life treatment options for PVC-rich waste concluded that all recovery/recycling options are preferable to landfill. PVC, like other thermoplastics, has intrinsic energy, which can be recovered through incineration. The chlorine part ends up in the form of hydrochloric acid, which can be recovered too. Flexible PVC will generally contribute higher energy content than rigid PVC, although even rigid PVC has a calorific value similar to paper. Recovering both HCl and energy significantly increases the eco-efficiency of incineration.

Different types of waste will have different optimal routes for valorisation. Assessing a combination of environmental, logistical, and economic and market considerations will determine the best option. Therefore, the whole range of waste management options should be considered when deciding on the treatment of plastic waste.