VinylPlus Joins EU-Funded RETAIN Project to Drive Circularity in PVC Tarpaulins

VinylPlus® is proud to be part of the RETAIN project, a Horizon Europe research and innovation initiative (Grant Agreement No. 101181056) aimed at building a fully circular value chain for PVC tarpaulins.

Tarpaulins made of polyvinyl chloride, known as PVC or vinyl, are durable and versatile products used across transport, construction, and industrial sectors – but their composite structure makes them difficult to recycle via traditional routes.

RETAIN tackles this challenge by demonstrating advanced mechanical, physical, and selective dissolution recycling technologies, alongside circular business models and digital product passports to ensure material traceability and optimise lifecycle management.

The project’s ambition is that by 2036, at least 90% of tarpaulins produced in Europe will be reused, remanufactured, or recycled, supporting the objectives of the EU Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan, and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.

Within the RETAIN consortium, VinylPlus contributes to communication, dissemination, and stakeholder engagement, supporting the definition of gate control mechanisms and logistics strategies for complex flexible PVC waste.

RETAIN brings together leading European partners across the plastics value chain, including Sioen Industries (Coordinator), AIMPLAS, Beaulieu International Group, Centexbel, EKOTREND Ludky s.r.o., European Plastics Converters (EuPC), IRIS Technology Solutions, KKF reVinyl GmbH, Kunststof Recycling Van Werven B.V., Mehler Texnologies GmbH, RENOLIT Group, RINA Consulting S.p.A, SATTLER PRO-TEX, Veolia NV SA, and VinylPlus.

Interested in recycled tarpaulins or exploring new recycled PVC streams? Contact VinylPlus Project Leader Magdalena Garczynska for more information: magdalena.garczynska@vinylplus.eu

Learn more about the project: https://retain-project.eu