Vinyl 2010
[last updated November 6, 2007 6:01 AM]

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General Information
Partnership website(s)
Expected Timeframe
March Pre 2002 - 2010
Partners
Governments:
  • Government of European Community - EU Commission (DG Environment and DG Enterprise)
  • Government of European Community - EU Parliament
Major Groups:
  • Vinyl 2010 (Belgium)
UN System:
    		Other intergovernmental organizations:
      Other:
      • EMCEF Europe (Belgium)
      • Organizacion de Consumidores y Usuarios (Spain)
      		 
      Thematic Focus
      Primary Themes:
      • Industrial development
      		 Secondary Themes:
      • Waste management
      • Chemicals
      Geographic Coverage
      Geographic Scope: Regional
      Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented:
      European Community
      National Focal Points
      This partnership has not made any contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the countries involved
      Goals and Objectives
      Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
      The Voluntary Commitment of the European PVC industry is a 10-year plan to improve production processes and products, invest in technology, minimise emissions and waste and boost collection and recycling, according to the guidelines of the EU institutions, and progressing towards sustainability.
      Vinyl 2010 is the legal entity set up to provide the organisational and financial infrastructure to manage and monitor the actions undertaken as part of the Voluntary Commitment. It groups European vinyl resin manufacturers, plastic converters and producers of stabilisers and plasticisers. The four founding members are: the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM), the European Plastics Converters (EuPC), the European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI) and the European Stabiliser Producers Associations (ESPA).
      Vinyl 2010 operates through projects covering technology, research, organisation (e.g. recycling schemes) and communication (e.g. on best practice). Total expenditure on waste management projects reached 7.1 million Euro in 2006 (more than 27.1 million Euro over the last 6 years)and the resource allocation in terms of time and effort is considerably greater.
      Targets and Progress
      Partnership targets
      Vinyl 2010 is a 10-year plan, based on a Voluntary Agreement, with fixed targets and deadlines to improve production processes and products, invest in technology, minimise emissions and waste and boost collection and recycling.
      PVC industry Voluntary Commitment
      Manufacturing in General
      * Cut raw material and energy consumption where economically and ecologically warranted.
      * Review progress on an annual basis.
      PVC Resin Producers
      * Minimise environmental impact through compliance with the ECVM Industry Charters.
      Plasticiser Producers
      * Safe use of plasticisers, in line with EU risk assessments
      * Conduct material lifecycle analysis to identify additional possible improvements.
      Stabiliser Producers
      * Phase out cadmium stabilisers in the European Union by 2001. Continue to work with the European Commission on targeted risk assessments
      * Continue to research and develop new stabilisers as an alternative to the widely used and highly effective lead-based systems. This is part of a commitment to replace lead stabilisers in all EU-25 Member States by 2015 (50% reduction target of use by 2010).
      * End of sales of cadmium stabilisers in all EU-25 Member States by 2006
      Waste Management
      * Actively support an integrated waste management approach, to use raw materials efficiently and utilize sustainable options
      * Cooperation with stakeholders to research and implement the necessary recycling technologies to achieve this target
      * Development of additional mechanical and feedstock recycling technologies, to reach PVC post-consumer waste recycling additional 200,000 tons per year in Europe in 2010 (in addition to quantities already recycled today and coming from EU legislation on packaging, ELV and waste electrical and electronic equipment).
      Progress against targets
      * Reduction of environmental impact of the PVC manufacturing with compliance to ECVM Charters
      - Bisphenol A phased out of PVC production in all ECVM member companies (2001)
      - External verification of ECVM S-PVC and E-PVC production charters (2002 and 2005 respectively)
      * Responsible use of chemicals (plasticisers and stabilisers:
      - Cadmium stabilisers phased-out in EU-15 (2001)
      - Risk assessment on lead stabilisers published (2004)
      - 15% reduction in lead stabiliser use achieved ahead of time (2005)
      - Phthalate risk assessments completed (2005)and published (2006)
      - Lead stabiliser phase-out in 2015 extended to EU-25 (2006)
      - Cadmium stabiliser phase-out extended to EU-25 (2006)
      * Commitments on waste management (recycling to ultimate disposal) operating through about 20 projects covering technology, research, organisation (recycling schemes) and communication (best practice)
      - Achieved targets of recycling: 25% recycling of collectable, available PVC post-consumer waste from pipes, windows profiles and roofing membranes in 2003
      - Achieved targets of recycling: 50% recycling of collectable, available PVC post-consumer waste from pipes and windows profiles in 2005
      - Recycled tonnages increasing exponentially: 18,077 tonnes in 2004, 38,793 tonnes in 2005 and 82,812 tonnes in 2006
      * Project funding of 7.1 million Euro in 2006 (more than 27.1 million Euro over the last 6 years)
      * Yearly publication of Progress Reports certificated by KPMG (for tonnages recycled and financial investments)and DNV (see www.vinyl2010.org)

      Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
      Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
      • Education/building awareness
      • Technology transfer/exchange
      The industry associations ECVM, ECPI and ESPA together with the European Mine Chemical and Energy Workers Federation (EMCEF) agreed to set up a social dialogue on important issues for all involved partners. This dialogue is a permanent process between industry and unions, with regular meetings and consultations. The dialogue includes the following issues: * Development of European health, safety and environmental standards * Employee training * Transfer of standards to the new EU countries * Dialogue on European Works Councils. Vinyl 2010 is working in partnership with local authorities within the Association of Communes and Regions for Recycling (ACR+) for the promotion of best-practices and pilot recycling schemes at local level. The project is called Appricod (http://www.appricod.org).
      Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
      How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
      Vinyl 2010 approach is in line with the spirit of the Agenda 21 chapter 30 "Strengthening the role of business and industry".
      Highlights of Vinyl 2010 approach:
      * Social Responsibility - The issue of Corporate Social Responsibility is becoming more and more relevant in contemporary society. This is due to the fact that it is clearer in everyday experience at individual, business and societal levels that real, stable and long-term progress requires social sustainability in addition to economic growth. We believe Voluntary Commitments from industry are part of the Corporate Social Responsibility to make effective progress on sustainable development
      * Cradle to grave approach - It is (to our knowledge) the only Voluntary Commitment involving the entire upstream and downstream chain from raw-material production to post-consumer waste in a single industry
      * SME's contribution - With its 23,000 companies, Vinyl 2010 is a model for Corporate Governance aimed at Sustainable Development and Durable Consumption because it looks at the entire life cycle of a product and because it actively includes the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises.
      * Transparency - Vinyl 2010 closely involves stakeholders and policy makers, with an independent Monitoring Committee, in the implementation of the Voluntary Commitment.
      * EU enlargement - The Vinyl 2010 initiative takes on even further significant in the context of an enlarged EU with 25 or more member states. Rigid regulatory approaches are unlikely to be effective, as they will not answer market diversities, local financial constraints or consumer's behaviour. VCs, by contrast, are an efficient way of transferring best practice to the East bypassing complex legislative process.
      With reference also to the chapter V of JPOI Vinyl 2010 is cooperating with the EU new members, the accession countries and Trade Unions with the objective of raising health, safety, and environmental standards to higher levels and to harmonise sustainability goals. The aim of Vinyl 2010 is also to obtain a gradual enlargement of the Voluntary Commitment to the new EU Member States. Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
      Strengthening the role of business and industry
      Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
      Sustainable development in a globalizing world ; Participation of major groups
      Coordination and Implementation
      Coordination Mechanism of the Partnership
      Vinyl 2010 is the legal entity set up to provide the organisational and financial infrastructure to manage and monitor the actions undertaken as part of the Voluntary Commitment. It groups European vinyl resin manufacturers, plastic converters and producers of stabilisers and plasticisers. The four founding members are: the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM), the European Plastics Converters (EuPC), the European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI)and the European Stabilisers Producers Associations (ESPA).
      Vinyl 2010 involves stakeholders and policy makers, with an independent Monitoring Committee to monitor implementation of the Voluntary Commitment. The Committee currently includes representatives from the European Parliament, the European Commission and trade unions and consumer associations. Vinyl 2010 hopes to enlarge representation and welcomes participation by environmental NGOs.
      Implementation Mechanism of the Partnership
      Vinyl 2010 operates through projects covering technology, research, organization (e.g. recycling schemes) and communication (e.g. on best practice). Total expenditure on waste management projects reached 7.1 million Euro in 2004 (more than 27.1 million Euro of investments over the last 6 years)and the resource allocation in terms of time and effort is considerably greater.
      Resources
      Funding Currently Available
      Amount in US$: 5,040,000
      Source(s): Private sector
      Fund invested in 2006: 7.1 million Euro. Fund invested in 2007 to be certified and published in April 2008.
      PVC industry through the four Associations:
      the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM)
      the European Plastics Converters (EuPC)
      the European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI)
      the European Stabiliser Producers Associations (ESPA)
      Non-financial resources available
      Type(s): Computers - Office space - Staff
      Source(s): Private sector
      PVC industry through the four Associations:
      the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM)
      the European Plastics Converters (EuPC)
      the European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI)
      the European Stabiliser Producers Associations (ESPA)
      Funding Sought
      Required Amount in US$:
      Source(s) already approached:
      Non-financial resources sought
      Requirement(s):
      Source(s) approached and details:
      Additional Information
      Additional Relevant Information
      For further information on Vinyl 2010, its commitment and achievements, please refer to the yearly Progress Report available on the website http://www.vinyl2010.org