18 April, 2007

Vinyl 2010, the organisation coordinating the European PVC industry’s

commitment to sustainable development, recycled 83,000 tonnes of PVC

through its projects in 2006, more than doubling its recycling figures for the

second year running.

Launching the Vinyl 2010 Progress Report today, Vinyl 2010 shows that not

only is it making excellent progress towards the targets set out in the

Voluntary Commitment it signed in 2000, but that its particular approach to

self-regulation is working.

“Successful self-regulation has two key elements,” said Vinyl 2010 Secretary

General Jean-Pierre De Grève, “transparency and commitment from the

whole industry. The publication of the Vinyl 2010 Progress Report today

shows our determination to deliver on both”, he said.

In addition to the massive increase in PVC waste recycled across the sectors,

from pipes and window profiles to coated fabrics, 2006 saw an additional step

in the replacement of lead-based stabilisers with the complete phase-out of

lead-based stabilisers in drinking water pipes in most of the EU-15 countries.

Vinyl 2010’s innovative projects continue to develop. Many have been

integrated into Recovinyl, a scheme which provides financial incentives for

recycling PVC waste collected by waste management companies and the

construction and demolition sector.

For more on the projects and to download the Progress Report 2007, go to

Kathryn Sheridan, Cambre Associates, tel: +32 (0)496 116198

Vinyl 2010 is a recognised partner of the United Nations Partnership for

Sustainable Development.

Vinyl 2010 was set up and is run by the four associations which represent the European PVC industry: the

European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM), the European Plastics Converters (EuPC), the European

Stabiliser Producers Association (ESPA) and the European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI).

Vinyl 2010 – Committed to Sustainable Development

www.vinyl2010.org

• Cadmium stabilisers phased-out in EU-15 (2001)

• Bisphenol A phased out of PVC production in all ECVM member companies

(2001)

• 25% recycling of pipes, windows and waterproofing membranes (2003)

• Risk assessment on lead stabilisers published (2004)

• Recognition of Vinyl 2010 as a partner by UN Commission for Sustainable

Development (2004)

• 15% reduction in lead stabiliser use achieved ahead of time (2005)

• External verification of ECVM S-PVC and E-PVC production charters (2002

and 2005 respectively)

• Phthalate risk assessments completed (2005) and published (2006)

• Lead stabiliser phase-out in 2015 extended to EU-25 (2006)

• Cadmium stabiliser phase-out extended to EU-25 (2006)

• Recycled tonnages increasing exponentially: 14,255 tonnes in 2004,

38,793 tonnes in 2005 and 82,812 tonnes in 2006

www.vinyl2010.org.