Is the incineration of PVC more expensive than for other types of waste?

Any type of waste brings specific constraints and hence specific costs. The main costs incurred in the incineration of PVC result from the neutralisation of HCl. These costs disappear when HCl is recovered and sold. An attempt to identify the costs of PVC incineration has been made in a study carried out on behalf of the E.U. authorities.

Generation of residues from neutralisation of acid gases ((HCl, SO2) is highly dependent of the gas treatment system employed. In the EU study it was assumed that 100% of the chlorine was to be neutralised by adding neutralisation agents. The fact is that a significant part of the chlorine is being held in the bottom ash and the fly ash (15% each) i.e. not more than 70% of the chlorine is to be neutralised by adding neutralisation agents. If this is taken into account, the generation of neutralisation residues from PVC in European MSWI’s is on average 0.4 kg/kg PVC and the corresponding costs are low compared to the benefits PVC products bring to the consumers