At the global level, the ongoing United Nations negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty strive to shape the future of plastic production and waste management worldwide. As an accredited observer organisation, VinylPlus actively contributed to this process, attending sessions in Ottawa (INC-4) and Busan (INC-5). Our participation allowed us to share our expertise in PVC and circular business models, ensuring that our industry’s expertise is considered. Collaboration remains at the heart of our approach. Throughout these negotiations, we have worked closely with industry stakeholders, including other associations and the Global Vinyl Council (GVC), fostering a rich exchange of knowledge as we tackle the global issue of plastic pollution together.

At the European level, we remain committed to supporting the safety and sustainability of products, leading by example as the PVC sector. Following the publication of ECHA’s Investigation Report on PVC and PVC additives, we have continued working with ECHA and EU institutions, reinforcing our 25- year commitment to advancing the sustainability of the European PVC industry. Furthermore, the establishment of the new European Parliament has provided new opportunities for engagement with regulatory bodies, alongside our industry partners.

A core focus of our work remains, of course, scaling up the circularity of the PVC value chain. 2024 has proven to be another challenging year for the entire European industrial sector. The plastics industry, including PVC, faced significant obstacles, driven by factors such as low demand for both virgin and recycled plastics, increased imports of non-EU plastic materials and reduced investments in the construction sector.

Despite these challenges, PVC waste recycling within the VinylPlus framework remained largely stable, even exceeding expectations. This resilience underscores the effectiveness of our circular business model and the industry’s ongoing commitment to recycling. Many companies have enhanced their circular operations, enabling us to register recycling volumes close to those of 2023.

Throughout 2024, we dedicated significant efforts and resources to supporting technical projects, research and innovation. We worked to enhance existing collection and recycling schemes while supporting the advance of chemical recycling and other innovative sorting and recycling technologies. Additionally, we invested in pioneering solutions to detect, sort, and remove legacy additives from end-of-life PVC products. A pilot plant is currently in development to sort contaminant-free PVC using NIR and XRF technologies. These advances will be crucial in improving the efficiency and sustainability of PVC recycling.

Sustainability extends beyond circularity, and we have taken key steps to identify opportunities for reducing carbon and water footprints across all PVC sectors. This initiative is vital to support the industry’s efforts to meet European decarbonisation targets and enhance its overall environmental performance.

Prioritising circularity through eco-design is a strategic target of our Commitment towards 2030, with a strong emphasis on integrating eco-design principles to enhance recyclability, particularly in the building and construction sector. Meanwhile, the launch of our VinylPlus® Digital Passport Programme aims at providing a unified system for data management, ensuring smooth market access under the new Construction Products Regulation and helping our partners meet evolving regulatory requirements and improve supply chain efficiency, while preparing for future integration with the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.

In 2024, we remained focused on strategic refinement, and organisational review. Our efforts were all aimed at making real progress towards our 2030 Commitment while preparing for our mid-term review in 2025. At VinylPlus, our ambition is clear: to empower a future-proof PVC value chain. We will do this by continuing to support, strengthen, and challenge our partners in achieving their sustainability goals. At the same time, we will use our role as a trusted and science-based advocate to drive positive change.

Finally, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all our partners, stakeholders, and team members for their continued trust and collaboration. Together, we are shaping a more sustainable future for PVC in Europe and beyond.