Impact Category: Resource Efficiency & Recycling

Resource Efficiency may be an unfamiliar term, but it most appropriately describes the objective in the management of vinyl materials at all stages of their life cycle – from design through vinyl recycling. An efficient use of resources reduces the quantity of inputs needed to produce a unit of output, often referred to as doing more with less. Less material input reduces the demand on resources and the amount of production by-products including waste and greenhouse gases per unit of product.

This impact category is focused on two priority areas:

• • – Scrap management
  • – Recycling

More than 1.1 billion pounds of vinyl — 87% pre-consumer vinyl materials and 13% post-consumer vinyl materials — was recycled in the U.S. and Canada in 2019 according to research conducted by the Tarnell Company.

Since 2016, overall vinyl recycling has increased 7%. The majority of this increase is attributed to pre-consumer recycling; the percentage of post-consumer recycled material has remained flat during the same time period.

The Resource Efficiency, or V‑Cycle, Task Force is dedicated to addressing one of the most critical sustainability challenges facing the vinyl industry: what happens to vinyl products at the end of their useful life. Its work supports VSC’s commitment to advancing circularity by keeping vinyl materials in use longer, reducing waste, and enabling higher‑value recovery pathways. The Task Force provides a collaborative platform for aligning industry efforts around recycling infrastructure, measurement, standards development, and market engagement.

The V‑Cycle Task Force places strong emphasis on credible measurement and data transparency, recognizing that consistent, reliable data is essential for tracking progress, informing policy discussions, and demonstrating industry leadership. Efforts include work toward the global harmonization of PVC recycling data and improved tracking of post‑consumer recycling activity.

In parallel, the Task Force supports storytelling and communications efforts that highlight real‑world recycling successes, helping to improve understanding of vinyl recycling and its role in a circular economy.

Insights from the V‑Cycle Task Force directly inform the resource efficiency and circular economy guiding principles within the +Vantage Vinyl® program. Task Force discussions help shape long‑term goals, clarify baseline versus market‑differentiating practices, and support continuous improvement within VSC’s verification framework.

Pre-consumer vinyl scrap generated at vinyl production plants is recycled back into the production process at very high levels. This material is readily available, requiring minimum transportation logistics, and is a valuable raw material, offsetting the use of virgin materials.

Post-consumer recycling on the other hand has the additional burden and complexities of material collection, sorting and cleaning, and costs of labor and transportation. These hurdles have proven stubbornly difficult to overcome without a coordinated industry response. As a result, the Vinyl Institute launched the formation of VIABILITY, an industry-wide PVC recycling grant program aimed at accelerating post-consumer vinyl recycling. VIABILITY offers grants to organizations—up to $250,000—in support of their post-consumer PVC recycling initiatives. Check out some of the case studies here.

Through collaboration, data‑driven decision‑making, and targeted investment, the Resource Efficiency / V‑Cycle Task Force plays a central role in strengthening the long‑term sustainability and circularity of the vinyl industry.