The WREP (Waste Recycling Project) was launched in 2016 by PVC Forum Italia and VinylPlus to estimate the volumes of PVC available for recycling in Italy; assess the quantities currently recycled; and devise a pilot scheme to improve the collection and recycling of PVC waste.
The WREP project focuses on the recovery and recycling of PVC waste collected from bulky municipal waste at municipal collection points and actively involves multi-utilities and recyclers.
WREP demonstrated that intercepting and recycling PVC waste is cost-effective from both an economic and environmental point of view.
From an economic point of view, the trial found an average saving of more than 57% compared to sending the same amount of waste for disposal.
From an environmental point of view, recycling PVC avoided the emission of more than 1,500 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere in 2023 by WREP.
An essential element for the success of the pilot project is the training of the operators of the plants involved in the trial to recognise, separate and sort PVC components.
The PVC separated and sorted by the utilities is then compacted and sent for recycling to the plants of the recyclers involved in the project. Today, up to 97% of the collected PVC is actually recycled.
The recycled PVC compound is put back on the market to produce new articles such as membranes, speed bumps and traffic cones, garden hoses, shoe soles, etc..
The project confirmed the importance of proper sorting and separation of high-quality PVC waste: the more contamination-free it is, the easier it is to use the recycled material in the same application (closed loop) or in other high-performance applications (upgrading), increasing the value of recycled PVC on the market.
To this end, in 2021, Phoenix RTO was commissioned to design and develop a hand-held device to separate PVC (including cables) from other plastics using near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral technology. Using the hand-held detector, which was tested in the field, the percentage of impurities in the collected PVC fell from an average of 3% to less than 1%.
In 2022, the software was further developed to detect the presence of DEHP/orthophthalate plasticisers in post-consumer PVC. To this end, it was successfully tested not only through the WREP project, but also to detect the presence of DEHP/orthophthalates in end-of-life medical devices in Belgium, within the framework of the VinylPlus® Med project.
In addition, Phoenix is carrying out an in-depth analysis to verify the possibility of distinguishing DEHP from other high molecular weight phthalates (HMW).
Based on the success of the portable device in identifying PVC products and additives from undifferentiated plastic waste, Phoenix was asked to develop a new scanner to detect the presence of lead.
The WREP scheme became part of the EU CIRCE2020 project and is considered a Best Practice both at a national (ICESP – Italian Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform) and European (ECESP – European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform) level.
It has also been included as a Best Practice in the Veneto Region’s Regional Urban and Special Waste Management Plan and has become an integral part of a LIFE project presented by the Veneto Region.
Several member companies of the PVC Forum Italia have joined the PVC Recycling group and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the following objectives:
- define all possible initiatives to foster synergies between member companies by initiating virtuous recovery and recycling circuits for manufactured products;
- jointly develop innovative projects for the collection and recycling of PVC, if necessary by participating in national calls for tenders and projects;
- participate synergistically in the communication of agreed activities;
- promote staff training for the recognition of PVC;
- jointly participate in conference and exhibition activities;
- continuously monitor legislative and regulatory activity.WREP’s activity in 2025 is mainly focused on the topics of selective demolition (with recovery and recycling of PVC products) and renovation.
WREP’s activity in 2025 is mainly focused on the topics of selective demolition (with recovery and recycling of PVC products) and renovation.