PVC
West European market growing / Recycling in its infancy / Industry admits communication errors
Following a prolonged period of stagnation on the western European PVC market during the nineties, the industry is again, for the first time, anticipating a noticeable increase in sales of 1-3% annually over the next few years.
According to John Svalander, Director of the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM, Ave. E. Van Nieuwenhuyse 4, B-1160 Brussels), PVC sales in western Europe could, after reaching around 5.3m t in 1997 and slightly more in 1998, climb to some 6.8m t/y by 2002. At the 1998 annual meeting of European PVC manufacturers in Vicenza, Italy, the Council also reported that PVC consumption worldwide would grow significantly faster than in western Europe: in 1998 the figure would be around 25m t, and by 2001, it would approach 30m t. In practice, the PVC market was ´coupled´ to economic growth, because PVC is used primarily in products for the construction industry. The bulk of the increase would therefore be in Asia and in the threshold countries of other regions.
Despite the efforts made by the PVC industry to further public relations, the recycling of PVC still played only a minor role. “It is estimated that only five to six percent of PVC recyclate is material that has actually been used”, said ECVM spokesman Paul Jackson in Vicenza. The vast majority was production scrap coming direct from the manufacturers or the remnants left over, for example, from laying PVC floor coverings. There were many different obstacles in the way of recycling, he said. PVC is made above all into long-lasting products for the construction industry. According to the ECVM, this segment accounts for as much as 60% in Europe. Depending on the particular end-use, the manufacturers estimate the durability at anything up to 100 years. According to the statistics, 42% of all PVC products are in service for between 20 and 100 years (pipes, windows, roofing sheet). This means that PVC only “comes back” again after a very long time. Plastic window frames are a good example. Only now are significant quantities of old window frames starting to appear, because it was not until the beginning of the seventies that they were used on a large scale. With pipes (effluent, water, gas etc.), it is even more difficult to obtain used PVC, because the products are often simply left in the ground or in the wall at the end of their useful life. Although these old pipes presumably do not represent an ecological hazard, the material is lost for recycling.
At the conference in Vicenza, there was also an open and frank discussion about the point that the European PVC industry basically had less of a problem with technical matters than with image problems. The industry representatives have now conceded that the industry is not entirely blameless that an angry wind has been blowing in its direction from environmental organisations and ´green´ politicians over a period of many years. “Why do people see PVC in a bad light?”, asks the Council´s Director rhetorically. One of his answers: “Because of our historic communication errors.”
PVC and Plasticiser
The European Commission is planning to order a further study on the danger of phthalates in toys made of plasticised PVC. This has been prompted by the revised opinion, published in Brussels at the end of November 1998, of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Toxicity, Eco-Toxicity and the Environment which has assessed more recent studies from the Netherlands. On the basis of these results, the scientists have reservations about the limits recommended so far for the release of DINP and DEHP from plasticised PVC. A counter study is to be conducted in order to verify these latest research results in respect of the risks for small children. The Commission also wishes to clarify whether there is any immediate need for action.
On 1 June 1998, the EU Commission passed a resolution, in the form of a recommendation to member states, concerning articles for babies in plasticised PVC containing phthalates. The immediate measures originally called for – a ban on marketing and a product recall – were rejected, since the Commission felt there were considerable uncertainties due to the lack of standardised measurement and calculation methods for the release of phthalates. According to information from the PVC and environment group Arbeitsgemeinschaft PVC und Umwelt e.V. (AgPU, Pleimesstr. 3, D-53129 Bonn) a series of studies conducted by the state technical inspectorates in Germany and also by the toy and plastics sectors on the basis of the test methods officially recommended to date has not revealed any limits being exceeded and has shown only low migration rates.
Presentation notes by John Svalander on the PVC situation in Western Europe (ECVM Meeting in Vicenza) (English): PIE-No. 43329 – Text of the EU Commission Recommendation on Baby and Toy Articles in plasticised PVC containing phthalate (English): PIE-No. 43337.
According to John Svalander, Director of the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM, Ave. E. Van Nieuwenhuyse 4, B-1160 Brussels), PVC sales in western Europe could, after reaching around 5.3m t in 1997 and slightly more in 1998, climb to some 6.8m t/y by 2002. At the 1998 annual meeting of European PVC manufacturers in Vicenza, Italy, the Council also reported that PVC consumption worldwide would grow significantly faster than in western Europe: in 1998 the figure would be around 25m t, and by 2001, it would approach 30m t. In practice, the PVC market was ´coupled´ to economic growth, because PVC is used primarily in products for the construction industry. The bulk of the increase would therefore be in Asia and in the threshold countries of other regions.
Despite the efforts made by the PVC industry to further public relations, the recycling of PVC still played only a minor role. “It is estimated that only five to six percent of PVC recyclate is material that has actually been used”, said ECVM spokesman Paul Jackson in Vicenza. The vast majority was production scrap coming direct from the manufacturers or the remnants left over, for example, from laying PVC floor coverings. There were many different obstacles in the way of recycling, he said. PVC is made above all into long-lasting products for the construction industry. According to the ECVM, this segment accounts for as much as 60% in Europe. Depending on the particular end-use, the manufacturers estimate the durability at anything up to 100 years. According to the statistics, 42% of all PVC products are in service for between 20 and 100 years (pipes, windows, roofing sheet). This means that PVC only “comes back” again after a very long time. Plastic window frames are a good example. Only now are significant quantities of old window frames starting to appear, because it was not until the beginning of the seventies that they were used on a large scale. With pipes (effluent, water, gas etc.), it is even more difficult to obtain used PVC, because the products are often simply left in the ground or in the wall at the end of their useful life. Although these old pipes presumably do not represent an ecological hazard, the material is lost for recycling.
At the conference in Vicenza, there was also an open and frank discussion about the point that the European PVC industry basically had less of a problem with technical matters than with image problems. The industry representatives have now conceded that the industry is not entirely blameless that an angry wind has been blowing in its direction from environmental organisations and ´green´ politicians over a period of many years. “Why do people see PVC in a bad light?”, asks the Council´s Director rhetorically. One of his answers: “Because of our historic communication errors.”
PVC and Plasticiser
The European Commission is planning to order a further study on the danger of phthalates in toys made of plasticised PVC. This has been prompted by the revised opinion, published in Brussels at the end of November 1998, of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Toxicity, Eco-Toxicity and the Environment which has assessed more recent studies from the Netherlands. On the basis of these results, the scientists have reservations about the limits recommended so far for the release of DINP and DEHP from plasticised PVC. A counter study is to be conducted in order to verify these latest research results in respect of the risks for small children. The Commission also wishes to clarify whether there is any immediate need for action.
On 1 June 1998, the EU Commission passed a resolution, in the form of a recommendation to member states, concerning articles for babies in plasticised PVC containing phthalates. The immediate measures originally called for – a ban on marketing and a product recall – were rejected, since the Commission felt there were considerable uncertainties due to the lack of standardised measurement and calculation methods for the release of phthalates. According to information from the PVC and environment group Arbeitsgemeinschaft PVC und Umwelt e.V. (AgPU, Pleimesstr. 3, D-53129 Bonn) a series of studies conducted by the state technical inspectorates in Germany and also by the toy and plastics sectors on the basis of the test methods officially recommended to date has not revealed any limits being exceeded and has shown only low migration rates.
Presentation notes by John Svalander on the PVC situation in Western Europe (ECVM Meeting in Vicenza) (English): PIE-No. 43329 – Text of the EU Commission Recommendation on Baby and Toy Articles in plasticised PVC containing phthalate (English): PIE-No. 43337.
31.01.1999 Plasteurope.com [18231]
Published on 31.01.1999