They denounce the almost zero recycling of PVC in construction in Spain

While aluminum is easily recyclable, this plastic material lacks systems and facilities to recover it.

58% of PVC Manufactured worldwide, it is aimed at the construction, mainly in the form of tubes, pipes, extruded profiles for carpentry and sheets for priming or coatings. However, a report has revealed that PVC is hardly recycled, unlike what happens with other construction materials, like aluminum. For this reason, professionals demand specific processes to recycle this material.

Most plastic recycling processes and techniques are designed for household products (single-use plastics). Due to this, PVC elements from demolitions and rehabilitations, such as windows, They often end up in inert waste containers mixed with low-quality recycling results.. This means that hazardous or residual components of the primary material are not removed in the treatment process.

This is one of the main conclusions derived from “CoCircular. Study on the recyclability of PVC and aluminum carpentry materials”published by the Spanish Aluminum Association (AEA), which represents more than 600 companies in the sector. The report has been prepared by independent experts with the aim of knowing the real circularity of PVC and aluminum materials within profile products for carpentry.

“Currently, and especially since the entry into force of Law 7/2022 of April 8 on waste and contaminated soils, the trend is that the separation of waste is being significantly improved, although even so some They still do not meet the minimum quality conditions required by the plants. This is the case, for example, of plastics. The reality at work is that all the elements of this material that appear are mixed together, in different quantities and qualities, and whether they are correctly classified will depend on the technological capacity of the treatment plant. And if they are not, due to the impossibility of making an economically viable classification, they will end up deposited all together in an inert landfill,” explains Gonzalo de Olabarria, Secretary General of the AEA.

The problem of plastics has its origin in the great diversity of materials which includes this group. There is no subdivision in which to group materials with similar characteristics based on their chemical composition.

“Each of them should be treated and managed differently, given that in many cases they are even incompatible with each other. But the high costs What it would mean to do this, as well as the lack of resources throughout the entire process, means that, in the end, segregation is only carried out on those materials that are clearly profitable, as is the case of metals, especially aluminum, copper, lead and iron/steel,” adds this entity.

“Unlike plastic,” adds De Olabarria, “More than 90% of the aluminum used in construction materials is recycled. This metal It can be recycled infinite times without losing its properties and without reducing its quality. It does not decompose in the presence of water, nor does it alter in contact with air. It barely suffers degradation neither with the recovery processes and techniques, nor with the passage of time.

From the study “CoCircular. Study on the recyclability of PVC and aluminum carpentry materials” are also derived following conclusions:

• Until the update and publication of the new waste management regulations in 2022, there were no clearly defined objectives for the separation of the different families of materials that make up the set of CDW (Construction and Demolition Waste).
• There is a lack of definition and specific regulations that clearly manage and undertake the peculiarities and typologies of waste that the sector generates.
• One perceives a clear need for subdivision in the classification of waste groups too extensive and complex, such as the particular case of plastics.
• Currently, even with the entry into force of the new regulations, there is no adequate surveillance and monitoring of compliance by the public administration.
• Generally, managers specialized in RCD focus their recovery treatments on stone materials. Are managers do not have the necessary technology for the effective classification and segregation of waste beyond stone and metal materials.
• Different rates do not apply for separated waste. This makes the economic viability/profitability of on-site segregation difficult.
• Only metal waste/scrap provides economic return and optimize management costs, promoting their separation on site.
• Lack of awareness and training that facilitates segregation and separation of the waste produced, both for regulatory compliance and to reduce the environmental impact of the sector.
• The new construction typology has experienced substantial improvements in its waste management and treatment processes.
• The Demolition, rehabilitation and/or reform works continue to carry out poor management and treatment of CDWsbeing effective only on stone waste.
• Effective separation is only carried out in the waste families that offer profitability and economic optimization, which are currently metals.

Full report, in this link. Recyclability study of aluminum and PVC carpentry_Updated.pdf (asoc-aluminio.es)

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