Allies for a more sustainable PVC supply chain

Sustainable PVC is a first-choice material, promoting the transition to a circular economy.

Can PVC be recycled? It can actually be recycled even more than 8 times thanks to its polymeric structure, while maintaining the same performance levels. In that sense, granulation is one of the best processes to transform end-of-life sustainable PVC products or residues resulting from other industrial processes into new raw materials.
 
Nonetheless, one of the main challenges in recycling PVC lies in converting the regenerated material into a high-quality product: Bausano twin-screw extruders fully meet this requirement, producing granules obtained from the recovery of rigid and flexible PVC, which are characterized by the highest standards.
 
“PVC is among the most widespread thermoplastic polymers in the world for applications in a variety of sectors, from construction to medical. The sustainability of its life cycle makes this material a valuable resource in the implementation of European strategies for the recovery and reuse of plastic,” explains Alessandro Ruotolo, Extrusion Test Manager at Bausano – international leader in the design and production of customized extrusion lines for the transformation of plastic materials. He continues, “In particular, the recycling of post-industrial PVC residues reaps a double benefit: on one hand, environmental protection, reducing both the consumption of the energy required to produce the same amount of new PVC and greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, granulation minimizes company expenses owing to PVC disposal, creating a closed-loop process that converts a management cost into a profit.”
 
In specific terms, the extrusion process of residues or waste, to be treated with additives, fillers and fibers, requires high performance, especially in the mixing and degassing stages. This is why the use of twin-screw machines for re-extrusion into granules offers concrete advantages, in terms of greater flexibility in the formulation to reach the required result. Furthermore, the presence of contaminants, which is one of the primary difficulties in the regeneration of the PVC, can be stopped by a specifically designed filter change system.
 
In detail, Bausano’s MD Plus and MD Nextmover twin-screw extrusion lines are also suitable for recycling processes as they are able to process and remove impurities of plastic materials, such as PVC resulting from scraps or post-consumer waste.
 
The qualified consultancy of the Technical Team along every step of the way allows twin-screw extruders to give the extruded products a uniform final composition, ideal for the subsequent molding, extrusion or calendering processes of sustainable PVC.

“At Bausano, we think that the way the production and consumption of plastic is perceived, as we know it today, must be radically changed so that the entire cycle can really be sustainable and replicable over time,“ continues Alessandro Ruotolo, concluding: “This is why we believe it is essential to invest in R&D, in order to enhance the technologies able to improve the environmental footprint of sustainable PVC. This will speed up the transition to a circular economy and contribute to mitigating climate change.”