Circular Economy and Waste

Circularity is central to the VinylPlus 2030 Commitment. The European PVC value chain has developed established systems for collection, sorting, recycling, traceability and verified reporting.

To scale PVC recycling further, EU waste policy must support separate collection, efficient transport of waste for recycling, clear end-of-waste criteria, investment in recycling technologies and market demand for recycled PVC produced in Europe.

VinylPlus supports a coherent policy framework that keeps recyclable PVC waste in the circular economy and helps Europe retain the value of materials, jobs and recycling capacity.

Why Waste Policy Matters

01. Circularity Starts With Collection

PVC products can only be recycled if they are identified, collected and sorted correctly. Separate collection close to the source helps preserve material value and improves the technical and financial efficiency of recycling.

02. Recycling Needs Functioning Markets

European recyclers need stable demand for recycled PVC. Market pull, recycled-content incentives and recognition of materials recycled in Europe are essential to support investment and maintain recycling capacity.

03. Policy Must Enable Circular Value Chains

Circularity depends on coherent rules across product design, waste classification, transport, recycling, traceability and end-of-waste status. Inconsistent rules and fragmented implementation across the EU can delay investment and reduce recycling performance.

VinylPlus Policy Priorities

The VinylPlus position on the Circular Economy Act focuses on making circularity work across the full PVC lifecycle: from product design and end-of-life classification to collection, recycling, traceability, market demand and fair competition.

The priorities below summarise the key policy conditions needed to keep recyclable PVC waste in the circular economy and support recycled PVC made and used in Europe.

01. Improve Classification and Collection

Revise waste classification guidance and make pre-demolition audits, separate collection at source and identification of recyclable waste streams mandatory where relevant.

02. Simplify Transport for Recycling

Allow waste destined for recycling in Europe should benefit from straightforward, harmonised and digitalised procedures.

03. Establish Clear End-of-Waste Criteria

Develop EU-wide harmonised end-of-waste criteria where needed, including for mechanical and chemical recycling outputs.

04. Align EPR With Circularity

Ensure Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes reward intrinsic durability and long service-life, resource efficiency, recycling and verified use of recycled material.

05. Create Market Pull for Recycled PVC

Use recycled-content targets, public procurement, ecolabels and other incentives to support demand for recycled PVC produced in Europe.

06. Protect Fair Competition

Promote transparent and reliable markets for recycled PVC, with consistent requirements, credible claims and effective market surveillance for materials placed on the European market.

Relevant EU Policy Files

VinylPlus monitors and contributes to EU policy files that shape circular PVC value chains, including:

Circular Economy Act
Waste Framework Directive
Waste Shipment Regulation and green-listing of waste
End-of-waste criteria
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Landfill and incineration policy

Recycling in Europe: Progress and Pressure

PVC recycling has shown resilience despite a difficult market environment for European plastics recycling. Within the VinylPlus framework, 765,972 tonnes of PVC waste were recycled in 2025, a 5.7% increase compared with 2024.

Since 2000, 10.3 million tonnes of PVC have been recycled, saving 20.6 million tonnes of CO₂. The total uptake of recycled PVC registered in RecoTrace by converters (which does not represent the totality of European PVC converters) reached 508,109 tonnes in 2025.

At the same time, European recycling markets remain under pressure from lower virgin material prices, low-priced imports, regulatory complexity and weak demand for EU-produced recyclates. Waste policy must therefore help create stable conditions for investment in recycling and uptake of recycled material.

Explore circularity in action

Construction and Demolition Waste

Building and construction applications account for a major share of PVC use and recycling. PVC products such as windows, pipes, cables, flooring and membranes are durable, recyclable and often remain in use for decades before becoming available for recycling.

To improve circularity in construction, waste management should start before demolition or renovation begins. Pre-demolition and pre-renovation audits, separate collection and source-level sorting can help retain the value of recyclable PVC and prevent valuable recyclable material from being incorrectly mixed, lost to landfill or incineration.

Pre-Demolition Audits

Identify recyclable PVC components before demolition or renovation starts.

Separate Collection

Keep PVC waste streams clean and suitable for high-quality recycling.

Source-Level Sorting

Support contractors in retaining the value of recyclable materials.

Circular Construction Markets

Favour the use of durable, long-life, and recyclable products in building and construction, as well as those meeting recycled content thresholds.

VinylPlus and the Circular Plastics Alliance

VinylPlus contributes to EU-level discussions on plastics circularity, recycling markets and the conditions needed to scale recycled materials in Europe.

Through engagement with initiatives such as the Circular Plastics Alliance, VinylPlus supports a stronger framework for collection, recycling, market surveillance and demand for recycled plastics.

Learn more about the Circular Plastics Alliance

Connected to the VinylPlus 2030 Commitment

Circular economy and waste policy are central to the VinylPlus 2030 Commitment. Through collection schemes, Recovinyl, RecoTrace, recycling projects and verified reporting, VinylPlus supports the transition towards a more circular PVC value chain.

The revised Commitment keeps a strong focus on circularity and carbon reduction, including the objective of achieving at least one million tonnes of recycled PVC used in new products by 2030.

Explore the VinylPlus 2030 Commitment

Explore Related Policy and Action Areas

Competitiveness is closely linked to circularity, chemicals regulation, climate policy, construction, procurement and verified sustainability performance. Explore how VinylPlus connects policy engagement with practical action across the PVC value chain.