Medical PVC Enters New Era: Groundbreaking Recycling Study and Powerful New Platform Set the Agenda for Sustainable Healthcare
VinylPlus Healthcare confirms recyclability of flexible medical PVC up to six times without compromising quality
Brussels, 1 April 2025 – New research commissioned conducted by the Spanish plastics centre AIMPLAS confirms that flexible medical PVC can be mechanically recycled up to six times without compromising its quality or performance.
Widely used in medical devices such as blood bags, tubing, and pharmaceutical packaging, flexible PVC has long been a trusted material in healthcare. The AIMPLAS findings strengthen its credentials as a circular, resource-efficient solution that supports high patient safety standards while reducing waste.
The new recycling study strengthens the knowledge base on vinyl’s recyclability and underscores the need to expand collection and recycling efforts in healthcare and elsewhere. VinylPlus® Managing Director Charlotte Röber comments: “It is well established that rigid PVC can be recycled several times without significant loss of quality. Now, the AIMPLAS study has confirmed that it also applies to soft applications. This reinforces vinyl’s strong position in mechanical recyclability.”
Strengthening Vinyl in Healthcare Through VinylPlus Healthcare Platform
The study was conducted for VinylPlus Healthcare, a new platform launched to unify and strengthen industry efforts around vinyl’s role in healthcare. It brings together the work of previous initiatives including the PVCMed Alliance, VinylPlus® Med, and VinylPlus® PharmPack under one coordinated umbrella.
“VinylPlus Healthcare was created to bring together expertise and efforts from different initiatives, ensuring a more coordinated and effective approach,” comments Ole Grøndahl Hansen, Project Leader of VinylPlus Healthcare. “With this platform, we hope to foster a more nuanced debate on vinyl in the healthcare sector – one that recognises both its technical benefits and its evolving sustainability profile.”
VinylPlus Healthcare is open to partners across the industry and offers access to regulatory insights, policy engagement, and a platform for collaborative innovation—ensuring vinyl continues to evolve as a material of choice in a sustainable healthcare economy.
