FIRST BRAZILIAN PVC CONGRESS

Vinyl 2010, the Voluntary Commitment of the European PVC Industry – update

Jean-Pierre De GrèveSao Paulo, 07-08 June 2005

The Horizontal Initiative (1)

Decided in 1997, as part of the ELV (End of Life Vehicles) proposed Directive

Objective: to avoid repetitive debates and specific measures on PVC in a number of application areas

Some measures/recommendations adopted by some Member States and local communities ( DK, A, D, …) : toys, B&C. No legislation

The Horizontal Initiative ( 2)

European Commission Green Paper on PVC published on 26 July 2000

Public hearing 23 0ctober 2000 followed by public consultation until 30 November 2000

Position of the Member States providedEU Parliament resolution adopted 3 April 2001May 2001 until last year: discussion between

DG Enterprise and DG Environment to agree final text of the Communication. Not successful

Content of the EU Green Paper

Analysis of two key issues: use of certain additives

cadmium / lead stabilisers

phthalates

waste management issues:

recycling (mechanical/chemical)

incineration

landfill

Five key EU Studies on PVC

Influence of PVC on quantity and hazardousness of flue gas residues from incineration

Behaviour of PVC in landfillFeedstock ( Chemical ) recycling of plastic

waste (PVC and other resins)Economic evaluation of PVC waste management

( diverting PVC from inc. )PVC waste mechanical recycling

The Horizontal Initiative (3):current situation

Communication or not ? Probably not

No limitation of the use of PVC in any

application

Whatever happens, Vinyl 2010 will go on

Why is the Communication useful?

We can live without Communication and are not prepared to compromise on key issues

To avoid continuing debates as part of:Eco-labellingPublic Procurements

To reassure the key customer sectorsTo clarify the European PVC Policy at global

level

What European policy on PVC is expected?

No restriction on PVC in any application

Request for cadmium and lead stabilisers to be phased-out (but recycling accepted)

Request to take outcome of phthalates Risk Assessments into account

Request to develop recycling schemes

Vinyl 2010: The Voluntary Commitment of the European PVC Industry

Overall Objectives

Make progress quicker than through any

discriminating legislation

Build and maintain consumer confidence

PVC Industry Voluntary Commitment: the Content

PVC resin production (emission targets)

Use of additives (phase out of cadmium and

lead, etc…)

Development of recycling schemes (pipes,

window frames, etc…)

Financial Scheme

Characteristics of the Voluntary Commitment

Involves over 23,000 companies and 530,000 jobsAnswers concerns raised in the Green PaperAddresses key issues across whole life-cycleCovers the period 2000-2010Measurable targets Intermediate and final deadlinesExternal verification by independent third partyMonitoring CommitteeAnnual public report

What has been achieved?

Vinyl 2010 set up as a legal entityProjects are implemented and ongoingDNV chosen as independent verifierFive annual public reports have already been publishedThe Monitoring Committee is workingPVC image is much better than 5 years ago

The dioxin issue

Not a PVC issue anymore in EU 25

Emissions at PVC Resin production

level are minimal and under control

Emissions at incineration level have

been demonstrated NOT to be

connected to the % of PVC in waste

The waste management issue

Mechanical recycling for large and/or easily

sortable plastics applications

Feedstock recycling for small and/or

contaminated applications or PVC mixed with

other plastics ( Stigsnaes, DK )

Energy recovery (MVR)

Landfill

The stabiliser issue

Heavy metal stabilisers = political issue in EU 25

Risk assessments are ongoing

Commitment on Cd: phase out already achieved in EU 15 and close to be achieved in EU 25

Commitment on Pb: phasing out by 2015

Alternatives: Ca-Zn ( or OBS )

Plasticiser issue - phthalate risk assessments

Risk assessments on 5 key phthalates

almost finalised

Risk reduction measures under

consideration for DEHP ( neonates, …)

Current situation

PVC consumption is growing in the EU

and at global level

When PVC is compared to alternatives

on the basis of LCA comparison, every

time PVC is: Either equivalent to its alternatives

Or it is the most favourable solution

Key studies / Reports

USGBC Draft report on PVC:

http://www.usgbc.org/Docs/LEED_tsac/USGBC_TSAC_PVC_Draft_Report_12-17-04..pdf

PE Europe (Stuttgart) : LCA comparison on

PVC and alternatives for many applicationshttp://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/chemicals/sustdev/pvc.htm

Additional ongoing issues (1)

Eco-labelling: National level

European level

Public Procurement guidelines : Olympic Games: Athens and Beijing OK

ICLEI

Additional ongoing issues (2)

Not very popular

Not based on sound science nor on LCA

Not legislation

Not only a PVC issue, but a general

plastics issue

Up to now, under control

PVC Consumption in Western Europe

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

kt

Others non paste

Other paste

Coated fabrics

Flooring

Cables

Flex. tubes & profiles

Film & sheet

Misc. rigid & bottles

Profiles

Pipes & f ittings

Rigid plates

Rigid f ilm

The Monitoring Committee (1)

First meeting in June 2003

Prof Buekens (VUB) nominated as independent chairman

Representatives of : DG Enterprise and DG Environment

EU Parliament

Trade Unions

Consumer associations

Vinyl 2010

Green NGOs (?)

To monitor Vinyl 2010 projects’

implementation

To define the scope of the verification

process

To make recommendations for the review of

the targets scheduled in 2005

The Monitoring Committee (2)

Challenges for the future

Vinyl 2010 fully and formally supported by the

Parliament and by the Commission , but what

legal framework and when?

Achievement of the targets at the deadlines

Synergy and cost effectiveness

Enlargement!

How to adapt Vinyl 2010 to the 10 new EU countries?

Not a simple extrapolationCd stabiliser to be 100% phased-out asapLead stabiliser to be phased-out following

EU15 modelCollect information on applications

(volumes, waste, …)Recycling schemes step by step

Update Vinyl 2010: time schedule

November 2005: presentation of the

proposal to the Monitoring Committee

November 2005 – March 2006 : finalisation

of the proposal

March 2006: publication as part of the 2006

Progress Report

Websites

www.vinyl2010.orgwww.pvc.orgwww.eupc.orgwww.ecpi.orgwww.stabilisers.org