Circular economy for vinyl plastics

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Canada takes global leadership in reducing plastic waste by targeting the total recovery of used plastics by 2040. This requires a circular economy where used plastics are fully reintegrated into the production cycle. A circular economy will also relieve the supply-chain challenge faced by Canadian manufacturers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic by replacing virgin raw materials with recycled ones. The proposed research will build a comprehensive framework of circular economy for poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Two different routes of recycling will be developed. In Route I, recycled PVC will be mechanically reprocessed into new plastics. In Route II, it will be biochemically broken down to small molecules, which may be used to synthesize new polymers or converted to more valuable compounds. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic assessment will be performed on both routes to analyze their environmental impact and feasibility. The project will bring together Canadian researchers from multiple institutions, who will join forces with the Canadian PVC industry to establish Canada's global competitiveness in sustainable plastics manufacturing.