Return Polymers and the Northeast Ohio Vinyl Siding Recycling Coalition

Recently, Return Polymers joined forces with the newly formed Northeast Ohio Vinyl Siding Recycling Coalition. The Coalition’s main objective is to set recycling standards and coordinate all parties involved in the life cycle of vinyl siding to increase the amount of post-consumer recycling across Northeast Ohio.

Our entire team is thrilled to be a vital part of this life cycle initiative. As a member of our parent company, The AZEK Company, we play an integral role in the Full-Circle PVC Recycling Program, the first of its kind, on-the-ground program to coordinate the collection of waste and scrap PVC to be recycled.

Through this Coalition, the vinyl industry is building on a long history of pre-industrial recycling solutions that began in the late 1970s with the initial work of landfill diversion. This solution takes care of recycling 99% of the in-house scrap material generated in the production process so that it can be used again by the same manufacturer to make more products. Now, the industry’s attention has turned to finding post-consumer recycling solutions for siding at the end of its useful life.

Together with the Coalition, we’re developing and launching an aftermarket vinyl siding recycling model that can be replicated across North America.

Our role in this program is to partner with VSI dealers, distributors, contractors, and recycling centers to set up collection bins at their fabrication shops, construction sites, and remodeling projects. Once these bins are full, we arrange the logistics, recycle the scrap PVC and reuse into a new long-use application, AZEK decking. We’ve seen great results so far, even in our soft opening in 2021, and we’re excited about what we see on the horizon as more dealers, contractors, and recycling centers join the Coalition, request waste bins, and partner with us in the Full-Circle PVC Recycling Program.

Return Polymers is a proud member of the Northeast Ohio Vinyl Siding Recycling Coalition. You can join the effort to complete the vinyl siding life cycle by becoming a member of the Coalition. View our active members to see who else has already joined the cause.