Envirolink Northwest provides support for U.K. firm to develop machinery to process post-consumer PVC.
Envirolink Northwest, which is supported by the U.K.’s Northwest Regional Development Agency, is assisting PVC Recycling Ltd., which is developing machinery to process post-consumer PVC waste.
The company had approached Envirolink for assistance with a project to transform shredded recycled PVC materials into a product fit for UK manufacturing. The venture capital firm invested £934,000 in technology that would create pellet PVC from post consumer recyclate. Envirolink Northwest provided grant money to support the installation of a color separation technology, a first in the UK.
Envirolink Northwest also carried out marketing activities to raise awareness of the potential of the new plant, the environmental benefits and the cost savings to the consumer of the end product.
So far roughly 1,000 metric tons of PVC has been recycled.
Ian Murray, joint managing director of PVC Recycling Ltd, says: “In many ways we took a big risk by developing this very new technology and entering a fairly unknown market. Working with Envirolink Northwest helped us to feel that we weren’t in it alone and gave us the confidence to keep on working, even during times when we were doubting ourselves.
“Thankfully, by combining our knowledge and expertise, we have been able to develop our product and are at the forefront of handling post-consumer waste, which can only benefit the environment both now and in the future.
”The support that Envirolink Northwest has provided over the years has been invaluable to our business and we would urge any North West-based recycler to make use of the program and its services.”
Katherine Burden, Sector Development Manager for Recycling and Waste at Envirolink Northwest, adds: “This is exactly the type of project Envirolink Northwest is here to support; the innovation and technological developments that have been spearheaded by PVC Recycling Ltd have paved the way for the PVC industry to re-think their disposal methods and has provided a viable alternative to landfill.
“We hope to stay in touch with PVC Recycling Ltd as they move forward in the market and we’ll be happy to provide support and advice on any further developments they may plan in the future.”