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The Washington-based Vinyl Institute (VI), a U.S. trade association representing manufacturers of vinyl, has announced the formation of the Viability program. VI says this is a first-of-its-kind, industrywide recycling grant program aimed at accelerating postconsumer polyvinyl chloride (PVC) recycling in the country.
According to a news release from VI, the grant program will make available up to $1 million in funds each year for the next three years from four PVC resin manufacturers in the U.S.: Formosa Plastics, based in New Jersey, and Oxy, Shintech and Westlake, all based in Houston.
"Each year, more than 1.1 billion pounds of vinyl material is recycled in the U.S. and Canada,” says Ned Monroe, president and CEO of VI. “However, postconsumer material accounts for less than a fifth of that total. With Viability, we are demonstrating VI's commitment to help the industry reach its goal of increasing postconsumer recycling volume to 160 million pounds by 2025."
Individual grants issued through Viabilty are available to qualifying industry collaborations like trade associations, material recovery facilities, construction and demolition waste facilities, recyclers or colleges and universities for up to $500,000. The funds can be used toward equipment purchases, processing investments, research and development, educational programs and program management that support the long-lasting and sustainable recycling of vinyl products. A seven-member grant committee of VI will choose recipients of the grants.
The first round of grant applications is due March 1. VI will announce the winners of the grants 60 days after the application deadline.
"It is our responsibility to identify pathways to grow PVC recycling,” Monroe says. “Viability is a deliberate and compelling step in that direction. We are eager to identify worthy vinyl recycling programs."
