Description
PVC is one of the most widely used industrial polymers, with major applications in construction, window frames, pipes, cables, membranes and other durable products. However, a significant share of post-consumer PVC waste comes from materials produced in the past with additives that are now subject to restrictions, such as low molecular weight phthalates and lead-based stabilizers.
These substances, known as legacy substances, represent a technical and regulatory barrier to recycling so-called old PVC. In the absence of effective removal solutions, many end-of-life PVC streams risk being sent to incineration or landfill instead of entering safe recycling chains compliant with REACH regulation.
REMADYL was created to address this issue by developing innovative processes for removing legacy substances and recovering regenerated PVC, with the goal of turning a problematic waste stream into a high-value secondary raw material for new products.
Results
The project's objective is to develop continuous, sustainable technologies for treating old PVC, removing phthalates and lead-based compounds and enabling the reuse of regenerated PVC in industrial applications. If successful, the PVC sector will gain new solutions to increase recycling, reduce dependence on virgin PVC, and support the transition towards a safer circular economy model compliant with European regulatory requirements.
REMADYL is coordinated by CENTEXBEL and brings together 15 European partners including research centers, universities, companies, SMEs, associations and stakeholders across the PVC value chain. The project covers the entire development chain: waste characterization and sorting, removal of legacy substances, materials development, demonstration on rigid and flexible PVC products, and assessment of sustainability, circularity and business uptake.
eLoop contributed to the sustainability activities of WP6, supporting the environmental, economic, social and circularity assessment of REMADYL's processes. In particular, eLoop is lead beneficiary/author of the final deliverables D6.2 – Report on Environmental LCAs and Ecodesign, D6.3 – Report on Life Cycle Costing, Cost-Feasibility Analysis and Social LCA, and D6.4 – Report on Circularity Assessments.
The project contributes to the circular transition of the PVC sector, proposing alternatives to landfilling or incinerating streams containing legacy substances. The LCA analyses assessed the removal of DEHP via supercritical CO2 and the removal of lead via levulinic acid, also considering sorting, micronization, solvent recovery and recycling scenarios. The work showed that solvent recovery and reuse are key levers for improving the environmental performance of the processes. From a social perspective, REMADYL addresses an issue relevant to workers, local communities and society at large: making the treatment of plastic waste containing hazardous substances safer and more sustainable. The social LCA considered aspects related to health and safety, local community conditions, economic development and technological innovation. On the business side, the project supports the creation of new supply chains for recycled PVC compliant with REACH requirements, with potential applications in products such as window profiles, waterproofing membranes and other rigid and flexible PVC items.