VinylPlus Med has officially launched its medical PVC recycling pilot program in Belgium to accelerate the sustainable development of health care throughout Europe by recycling discarded disposable PVC medical equipment. 

Through this initiative, VinylPlus Med brings together hospitals, waste management companies, recyclers and the PVC industry.

Adequate classification and recycling of non-infectious plastic waste can significantly reduce the hospital's environmental impact and its operating costs. Building on the success of the RecoMed PVC mask and pipe recycling program funded by VinylPlus, VinylPlus Med officially launched a pilot recycling program to accelerate the sustainable development of Belgian hospitals.

PVC is the most commonly used plastic used in life-saving disposable medical equipment (including oxygen masks and anesthesia masks, catheters, intravenous infusion bags, and dialysis bags). Many of these devices have been used once on non-infectious patients, and they have been used for a short period of time and can be recycled. VinylPlus Med is now preparing to develop a recycling plan for disposable PVC medical devices to help Belgian hospitals sort the PVC medical waste stream. The plan will focus on clean and REACH-compliant PVC waste, which can be recycled and used for various valuable products sold in Europe.

The project brings together European hospitals, Renewi as a waste management company, Raff Plastics and VinylPlus as recyclers-the European PVC industry's commitment to sustainable development. Brigitte Dero, Managing Director of VinylPlus, said: "Starting with a pilot project in Belgium, we are very happy to work with our partners to make medical plastics more circular."

All Belgian VinylPlus Med partners are located within 120 kilometers to limit transportation distances and thereby minimize carbon footprint.

"The VinylPlus Med project once again proves that recycling is the growth engine of the circular economy: there are still many materials that have not been recycled, and this is where there is growth potential. Recycling and innovation are things you must do together. Value chain cooperation is essential for the transition to a circular economy. It is very important. Therefore, we are very proud to be able to participate in this sustainable development project, the previously lost PVC now has a second life," said Dries De Pauw, Renewi's Director of Sales and Marketing.

Caroline Van der Perre, co-owner of Raff Plastics, added: “For recycling companies like Raff Plastics, projects like VinylPlus Med are important because we think everything starts with a good collection. According to us, unfortunately Yes, there are still many materials that can be recycled, but due to the unfavorable environment, they are sent to landfills or incinerated. Projects like VinylPlus Med ensure that everyone is aware of and committed to the renewal of raw materials."

COVID-19 highlights the critical role played by disposable plastic medical devices in preventing and controlling hospital infections. The surge in demand for such disposable items reveals the challenges of properly managing and discarding them after use.

"In this case, VinylPlus wants to help Belgian hospitals. After all, PVC is the most widely used plastic in healthcare. Most PVC medical waste is non-infectious and can be recycled if properly sorted and collected. We are passionate about it. To improve the recyclability of PVC in this key area, and we are very happy to officially launch our VinylPlus Med pilot project in Belgium," Brigitte Dero commented.

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