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Product category: Building Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
News Release from: Axion Recycling | Subject: Recycling waste plastic
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial Team on 05 July 2006

Recovinyl targets demolition industry

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Recovinyl is widening its scope for recycling waste plastic by targeting the demolition industry, which generates large volumes of post-use PVC from its activities.

Since its launch last year, Recovinyl has enjoyed considerable success in the PVC-U window industry, having recycled more than 8,000 tonnes of post-use PVC (mainly windows) - well over double its original 2005 target of 3,200 tonnes in the UK Now it is extending its services to the demolition sector where, in addition to post-use PVC from windows, alternative sources such as cooling tower packings, fascia boards, cladding, shutters, pipes and flooring, can be recycled into new products

Much of this material is currently landfilled at rising expense to companies and contractors.

Roger Morton of Axion Recycling, Recovinyl's project managers and technical advisors in the UK, comments: "The potential for recycling waste PVC, other than windows, from construction and demolition is huge.

Much of this material, such as pipes and cladding, is expensively dumped in the ground when it can be usefully turned into new products.

"Growing pressures on the industry, such as Government legislation, rising disposal costs and the scarcity of landfill sites, means that recycling has to be the way forward.

Recovinyl makes this a commercial and economic reality".

Roger's comments follow a recent meeting between Axion's Recovinyl Consultant, David Wiles and Howard Button, National Secretary of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors with the aim of encouraging NFDC members to increase their recycling rates, reduce their landfill tonnages and therefore save money.

"Now Recovinyl has established systems and financial incentives in place to promote greater recycling, it is expanding the type of waste plastic materials that can be handled by its 100-plus waste collectors and 20 accredited recycling companies nationwide," says David.

This offers great opportunities to the demolition sector.

Because ancillary PVC products from roofline products, cladding, shutters and blinds to pipes and conduit, are also covered by the scheme, companies undertaking complete refurbishment projects can recycle virtually all PVC-U waste removed from demolished properties - cutting their disposal costs even further.

Recovinyl is funded by the PVC industry body Vinyl 2010 formed to demonstrate commitment to sustainable development.

A parallel initiative in Benelux countries has reported considerable success in collecting and recycling a variety of post-use PVC waste materials outside the window sector.

Free to join, Recovinyl (www.recovinyl.com) provides the financial and practical infrastructure for the collection and recycling of removed PVC window frames and ancillary products against a backdrop of rising landfill costs and toughening legislation on landfilling this type of waste.

The scheme removes the barriers to recycling by providing access to accredited recyclers as well as providing incentives to demolition, building and window companies for the additional costs of dismantling, sorting and transporting separated PVC waste.

By dismantling and segregating the component materials for recycling, companies using the Recovinyl scheme can cut the cost and numbers of skips used to dispose of their PVC waste.

Recovinyl members who enter into an agreement with an accredited recycler can claim incentive payments on the waste they recycle.

For more information, contact Axion Recycling on 0161 426 7731 or visit the website.

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