PVC is safe in disposal. It can be handled safely by all parts of a well managed waste management programme. PVC can be mechanically and feedstock recycled or handled in waste-to-energy schemes.
1. February 2004, Good practices guide on waste plastics recycling, a guide by and for local and regional authorities, report by ACRR
This guide seeks to bring together information from many sources to help L/RAs identify the practical issues associated with collecting and processing waste plastics, while identifying the approaches needed to manage and exploit these wastes in ways which best suit their individual characteristics.
1. April 2003, Europe: PVC Recovery Options, Concept for Environmental and Economic System Analysis, commissioned by VINYL 2010
Authors: Johannes Kreißig, Dr. Martin Baitz, Jochen Schmid, Prof. Peter Kleine-Möllhoff (Reutlingen University) and Dr. Ivo Mersiowsky (Tu Tech Hamburg).
Click here for the Executive Summary (PDF, 330Kb).
The study gives various data on municipal incineration (MSW) and describes the methodology to calculate the total incineration costs and allocate costs to specific products. In particular, the study shows that in the average European situation, the PVC total incineration cost is similar to other high calorific waste products and represents around 2.3% of the total MSW cost.
1. September 2000, Europe: Behaviour of PVC products in landfilled municipal solid waste at different temperatures
2. August 2000, Europe: MSWC salt residues: Survey of technologies for treatment
This study highlights that its main effect is on the cost of the gas treatment attributable to PVC. It can be evaluated as a marginal cost and mainly related to the neutralisation of the chlorine content.
1. March 2000, Europe: Feasibility study of the salt mines storage route, Step 2
2. February 2000, Europe: Feasibility study of the salt mines storage route, Step 1
This study mainly highlights that recycling of a major part of PVC waste is possible where the material is recycled after mechanical treatment (grinding, sieving, selective dissolution).
December 1999, Europe: PVC and municipal solid waste combustion: Burden or Benefit?
