PVC’s Place on Global Recycling Day

PVC’s Place on Global Recycling Day

March 18 is Global Recycling Day, an annual event designed to raise awareness and encourage action to reduce waste around the world. The event was established by the Global Recycling Foundation in 2018 as a way to bring together individuals, organizations, and governments to promote recycling and sustainable practices.

And it’s kind of a big deal, too—a substantial amount of non-biodegradable waste is generated each year globally, and plastics make up roughly 60% of all non-biodegradable waste. 

Non-biodegradable waste doesn’t break down naturally, like food waste or other organic materials; instead, it breaks down into microplastics, ending up in the food chain where it affects marine life, soil health, and even human health.

In 2019, we generated around 350-400 million metric tons of global plastic waste. In one year.

PVC’s Place in the Plastic Waste Problem

Just in the PVC world alone, approximately 2 billion metric tons of PVC has been produced since the 1920s, when it was first introduced industrially. At this point in time, about 60-70% of all PVC ever produced has likely turned into waste, weighing in around 1.2-1.4 billion metric tons.

That is the equivalent of 14,000 aircraft carriers, 12,000 Empire State Buildings, 233 Great Pyramids of Giza, or the weight of Earth’s entire human population 175 times over. That amount of PVC spread evenly across the state of Texas would bury the state 6.5 feet deep.

In short, it’s a lot.

We’re still generating more PVC waste each year. Since PVC waste represents 10-12% of all plastic waste, there’s around 35-50 million metric tons of PVC waste created annually.

Return Polymers wants to make sure that as much PVC waste as possible is diverted away from landfills and back into production. Through the Full-Circle Recycling Program, Return Polymers is able to take PVC waste from all kinds of industrial uses and turn it into brand new decking, siding, cladding, and trim.

You can partner with us to reprocess PVC waste—learn more about our Full-Circle Recycling Program.

Other Simple Ways to Make a Difference with Recycling

While we’re particularly passionate about PVC recycling since it is our business, our commitment to sustainability and care for the environment extends to the rest of our lives as well. PVC recycling is part of the solution, but it will take all of us doing a lot of different activities to turn this waste issue around.

Here are four things you can do in your daily life that can make a difference for the environment:

1. Learn About Recycling: Find out what can and cannot be recycled in your local community, where recycling is collected, and how it needs to be prepared so that the materials can be handled and repurposed properly. Visit your local municipality or material handling facility’s website to find out how waste is managed in your area.
2. Make Small Changes to Your Routine: Pay attention to all the places you’re using plastic and see what you can do to make adjustments, like using reusable bags and water bottles, properly disposing of hazardous materials, and reducing food waste.
3. Advocate for More Recycling: Have an eye for recycling initiatives in your community and raise your concerns to local officials, business leaders, and the people who live in your own home, so they become aware and can engage in better recycling practices with you.
4. Participate in Local Clean-Up Events: Check local events calendars for Global Recycling Day activities, such as recycling drives, workshops, and community clean-up efforts. You can also organize your own event to promote recycling in your community.

Beyond your day-to-day activities, we invite you to partner with Return Polymers if you’re in a business that works with PVC—whether as a producer, consumer, distributor, or collector—there’s a place for recycling at every stage of the PVC product lifespan. Learn more about the Full-Circle Recycling Program or contact our team today.