PVC is a versatile polymer being found in applications as varied as blood bags used in transfusions, gas pipes and window frames. European Vinyls Corporation is the world's fifth largest PVC producer, with a capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per year.

European PVC manufacturers have united in a voluntary commitment to deliver environmentally responsible production and waste management. Their commitment is to operate within the principles of sustainable development.

Covering the whole life-cycle of PVC, the Commitment includes actions to improve the eco-efficiency of PVC manufacture. One aspect is the reduction of energy requirements and the increased use of recycled PVC as a raw material. A pilot plant near Dijon, France, has the capacity to recycle 2,000 tonnes of PVC per year from sources like electric cables, coated fabrics and flooring wastes.

EVC's Runcorn plant, producing vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), has recently been modernised to increase its production capacity and improve environmental performance. A new incinerator minimises emissions of chlorinated hydrocarbons and also produces hydrogen chloride which can be recycled into VCM prduction. It also generates heat for the plant which reduces the need to obtain energy from precious fossil fuels resources.