What is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and what is it used for?

One of the earliest and most widely used plastics is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which was also one of the first to be discovered. It is a thermoplastic resin made primarily of salt (57%) and oil or gas (43% ). After polyethylene and polypropylene, it is the third most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer in the world.

PVC resin is frequently provided in powder form. It can be stored for a long time because it resists oxidation and degradation. The powder is then processed by adding a variety of additives and pigments, creating a mixture that is then transformed into a number of PVC products.

Polyvinyl Chloride Properties

Performances by PVC are challenging to rival. It has excellent insulating qualities, is light, strong, and fire-resistant. It also has low permeability. Strength, rigidity, weathering, colour, and transparency are just a few of the characteristics that can be altered during the manufacturing process to suit particular requirements.

Benefits of PVC

1. Perfect for cabling applications because it has great electrical insulation qualities.
2. It is perfect for construction products because of its high impact resistance and weatherproof features.
3. It has numerous medical and food contact approvals in Europe.
4. Well suited for use in short-term applications like specialised packaging because it has excellent organoleptic properties and high clarity. It is also simple to process, durable, tough, and light.
5. Uses less primary energy during production than any other commodity plastics. Compared to other products, PVC has a relatively low carbon footprint.
6. PVC windows reduce energy costs, and the majority of BFRC ‘A’ Rated Energy Efficient Windows are made of PVC.
7. It can be recycled completely. Because of its characteristics, it reprocesses easily and can easily be recycled into second- or third-life applications.

PVC Plastic Applications 

One of the most popular plastics in use today is PVC. It is used more than 48 million tonnes annually around the world, and demand is constantly rising.

Contruction Sector – For more than 50 years, PVC has been widely utilised in a variety of construction-related products. PVC is the perfect material for window profiles because of its strength, light weight, durability, and versatility. PVC is perfect for cabling applications because of its built-in flame resistance and superior electrical insulation qualities.

Medical Sector – Due to its unmatched performance qualities and affordability, PVC has been used for nearly 50 years in the manufacturing of hundreds of life-saving and healthcare products, including surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals, drug delivery systems, and medical packaging.

Automotive Sector – PVC offers the automotive industry both high performance attributes and significant cost advantages.

Sports Sector – PVC is widely used in the construction of sporting venues as it is a highly adaptable building material with a minimal impact on the environment. PVC is widely used by athletes in a variety of ways, including the gear they use, the surfaces they compete on, and the clothing and shoes they wear.

Reusing and recycling PVC 

Thanks to its polymer structure, which withstands mechanical stress during recycling operations while maintaining its essential physical properties, PVC can be recycled multiple times. Increased PVC recycling volumes—731,461 tonnes in Europe in 2020 and 6.5 million tonnes globally over the past 20 years—indicate the viability of the PVC recycling process. Therefore, expanding the capabilities of PVC recycling technologies is crucial.

Today, mechanical recycling is the main method used to recycle PVC end-of-life products. The development of new technologies for the chemical (feedstock) recycling of mixed PVC wastes is ongoing.