Recycling and designers
Although summer is already ending, its atmosphere is encapsulated in the collections of garden and beach furniture of the German company Ames design, and this furniture can be taken to the balcony with the arrival of autumn. Armchairs, chairs, deckchairs, tables, baskets and benches CARIBE delight with bright colors and graceful silhouettes. The furniture frames are made of galvanized and powder-coated steel pipes, and the seat and back are woven from recycled PVC strings.
The company's founder, Ana María Calderon Kaiser, is originally from Colombia, and one of her goals is to solve the social and environmental problems of her homeland. Ames emphasizes the sustainability of its furniture and the support of crafts. Vinyl threads (the result of recycling waste) are woven in the traditional Colombian mampozino style. The company even opened a weaving school in Bogotá, where classes are held in weaving with PVC strings. The best students get a contract from a German company or open their own studios that work as suppliers for Ames.
Table and chair made of recycled PVC from the CARIBE furniture series. Collaboration of Studio Sebastian Herkner & Ames. Photo: Andres Valbuena
In the capsule collections, Ames designers also use local products such as fig fibers, palm fibers from Iraq and the famous Werregue palm threads. However, this is a scarce natural raw material that cannot be used in mass production. But vinyl yarn, with all its qualities, turned out to be an exceptionally convenient alternative. In terms of cost, PVC is one of the cheapest plastics, and its processing into fibers is one of the options for solving the painful problem of disposal. Solving at least a small percentage of the overall environmental problem, Ames designers do not remain in circulation - their furniture can be afforded only by wealthy clients and large hoteliers. For example, one CARIBE dining chair costs 1205 euros, and a chaise longue costs 1494 euros. A good example of creating added value through design imagination and a business approach sensitive to user sentiments, isn't it?
Mainly pipes are made from PVC recycled in a downward, i.e., downcycling way. Voilà! FX Balléry designers have developed a collection of "plumbing" vases Pretty Vases Collection made of PVC pipes for the French brand Domeau & Pérès. Francois-Xavier Ballery's design instantly went viral.
Pretty Vases Collection made of PVC pipes. Design by FX Balléry. Photo: FX Balléry
Back in 2008, French designer Dries Zeiker presented The Tub chair, assembled from pipes and fittings. Koreans Jeon Yoo Choi and Jung Soo Kim from Joon & Jung Studio were inspired by the idea and came up with a series of rocking chairs made of plastic pipes filled with sand. While rocking on the chair, the sand spills over and creates pleasant rustling sounds reminiscent of a beach vacation.
The Tub chair, assembled from pipes and fittings. Design by Dries Zeiker. Photo: zeiker.com
The global market for plastic furniture already exceeds 13,5 billion dollars, and the share of products obtained from recycled plastic waste continues to grow in proportion to the growth of environmental awareness. Consumers are increasingly focusing on products with a low impact on the environment. In addition, furniture made of recycled plastic is at least 5 times stronger than processed wood, more durable and much easier to care for. After the expiration date, they can be returned for recycling.
A rocking chair made of plastic PVC pipes filled with sand. Designed by Joon & Jung. Photo: Joon & Jung
A rocking chair made of plastic PVC pipes filled with sand. Designed by Joon & Jung. Photo: Joon & Jung
A rocking chair made of plastic PVC pipes filled with sand. Designed by Joon & Jung. Photo: Joon & Jung
A rocking chair made of plastic PVC pipes filled with sand. Designed by Joon & Jung. Photo: Joon & Jung
A rocking chair made of plastic PVC pipes filled with sand. Designed by Joon & Jung. Photo: Joon & Jung
Plastic differs from plastic
Although dozens of types of plastics have been invented over the past century and a half, consumers usually encounter the seven most common types, which are labeled with different codes. These codes must be taken into account when sorting waste.
- PET — polyethylene terephthalate, or Mylar. It is used for the production of polyester, beverage containers.
- HDPE (HDPE) — high-density polyethylene. It is used for the production of bags, plastic containers.
- PVC — polyvinyl chloride, or vinyl. Window frames, doors, chemical containers, floor coverings, insulation for electrical wires, medical consumables, sanitary pipes are made from it.
- PELD — low-density polyethylene. Used for bags, pipes, food containers.
- PP — polypropylene. Car bumpers and interior trim, packaging for dry products, disposable dishes, bags are made from it.
- PS — polystyrene. It is used for the production of toys, disposable tableware, suitcases, and flower pots.
- SPC — ABS plastic, which is used to make the housings of mobile phones, computers, power tools, and 3D printing products.
Code 07 is used to designate a whole group of rarer plastics, and code 08 is still in reserve.
Plastics differ in their properties and fields of application, but all do not decompose or decompose very slowly, which is why they pose a threat to the environment.
Synthesized from salt and petroleum products, PVC ranks third among synthetic resins in terms of production and, accordingly, third in terms of waste. This is "architectural" plastic - it is most widely used in the construction industry. In addition to window profiles and pipes, there are many finishing materials: linoleum, quartz vinyl, decking. The possibilities of using PVC in building structures are practically limitless: tents, awnings, fences, floor coverings.
For example, in the interiors of the lobby of the Prague landmark Masaryčka, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and opened last year, giant luminous PVC wall and ceiling membranes are used.
The lobby of the Masaryčka multifunctional center, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. Photo: © BoysPlayNice
Architect Stanton Williams chose perforated white PVC light-diffusing membranes to create the illusion of transparent ceilings during the renovation of the Nantes Art Museum.
Imitation of a transparent ceiling with PVC membranes in the Nantes Art Museum, France. Photo: François de Dijon
Dutch architecture studio Hoogte Twee Architecten has reimagined PVC pipes as building blocks for an outdoor pavilion.
Street pavilion made of PVC pipes. Design by Hoogte Twee Architecten. Photo: Hoogte Twee Architecten
In short, there are so many options and examples, and new ones appear so often that our fellow journalists, under the supervision of the European Vinyl Manufacturers Council, publish a monthly magazine called WonderfulVinyl, dedicated to PVC in architecture, art and design.
The properties of PVC are truly universal: it is an amorphous polymer resistant to such aggressive substances as acids, alkalis, mineral oils and solvents. It has high dielectric properties and is maximally stable in finished products. This polymer has two forms - hard and soft.
The use of such non-standard materials as PVC pipes in the construction of small architectural forms offers users new scenarios. Design by Hoogte Twee Architecten. Photo: Hoogte Twee Architecten
Soft PVC contains a large proportion of plasticizers in its composition, which give it flexibility, which allows the production of various types of films, membranes, insulation for wires and linoleum
"Hard thermoplastic PVC is used for the production of window and door structures, as these are building elements that must withstand a certain load. Due to the plasticity of the material, we can easily get the necessary shapes and designs — square, triangular, round windows with different types of opening, — explains VEKA Ukraine expert Dmytro Firsov. — For us, the fundamental main properties of vinyl are convenience in processing, mechanical rigidity, impact strength, resistance to scratches, abrasion, and ultraviolet radiation. High-quality window profiles, thanks to stabilizers, do not change their color under the sun's rays for decades, withstand fluctuations in external temperatures. In a stable state, PVC is absolutely harmless to humans and animals. It is no accident that this type of plastic is used in the production of medical equipment and consumables."
Dmytro Firsov, expert of the VEKA Ukraine company
About VEKA's participation in the VinylPlus® and Rewindo PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA initiatives earlier wrote in the article "VEKA offers: a window to a sustainable future". The founder of the VEKA concern, Heinrich Laumann, was one of the pioneers who started using PVC as a material for window and door systems. In 1993, he decided to build the first factory for recycling old windows, thus closing the production cycle. Now the concern owns several processing plants, which then supply recycled material not only to its own production facilities, but also to the market as a whole.
The processing technology developed by VEKA makes it possible to obtain PVC regranulate, which is not inferior in quality to the primary raw material. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
"Circular" PVC
The data of the latest poll, conducted by the resource-analytical center "Society and Environment" and published in early August 2024, show that about 60% of Ukrainians consider climate change to be an acute problem that needs immediate solutions, and support measures that could curb the pace of these changes
End-of-life window frames are dimensional waste, their volumes are large. As a result of military operations, the amount of such garbage in Ukraine has increased many times. The popularity of plastic furniture is increasing, as is the growing demand for products made from recycled polymers, and it would seem that PVC is an ideal raw material for recycling. But not in Ukraine. Why so?
Olga Lekova, architect and founder of the ARTSTUDIOLEO bureau, won the "Created by Women 2024" competition organized by the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFU). Photo: Stas Kartashov
After February 2022, the architect and founder of the ARTSTUDIOLEO office Olga Lekova created a new division — Recast Plastic, which is engaged in the production of furniture from recycled plastic for shelters. Olga closed an obvious niche - the old warehouses, equipped during the Cold War between the USSR and the USA, were categorically uncomfortable, and the new ones did not even have seats at all. Lightweight modular furniture—folding beds, tables, chairs, and shelving—allows people to stay safe for long periods of time. Thanks to this social initiative, about 30 shelters have already been equipped with modular plastic furniture - in schools, kindergartens, hospitals, offices, and enterprises. Olga's clients are non-governmental public organizations (NGOs) and private individuals interested in creating conditions for a comfortable stay in shelters, as alarms can last for hours. Recast Plastic also produces designer furniture, which is mostly exported.
Recast Plastic furniture from recycled plastic for school classrooms in shelters. Design — Olga Lekova. Photo courtesy of Recast Plastic
“When I was first thinking about the business, I really wanted to use recycled PVC to help dispose of the waste that was created as a result of the destruction. But after delving into the details, I realized that this is simply unrealistic, at least if your business is a startup, - says Olga. — Despite the large volumes of waste, PVC window frames are difficult to recycle. First of all, it is necessary to separate the plastic from the glass and metal, since there are metal parts in the profile itself. This cannot be done manually. Secondly, PVC in a stable state is safe, but in the process of melting it can emit toxic substances. Special equipment must be used to ensure that the process is safe for workers and the environment. It is not difficult for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs to build and equip such a workshop or factory. Thirdly, the PVC remelting process is very energy-intensive.
Recast Plastic table furniture set made of recycled plastic. Photo courtesy of Recast Plastic
Therefore, we currently use only food-grade types of plastic — high-density polyethylene, that is, HDPE, and polypropylene. Currently, we have reached large volumes of production, and we need about two tons of raw materials per month. We collect residues from production and buy raw materials from partners who process waste into pellets. Moreover, it is precisely at proven companies that have already established processing. If food plastic is not properly washed or different types of plastic are mixed, then the raw material will be of poor quality. Not all of us still know how to sort plastic, and we are not able to sort through two tons of waste on our own."
In Kyiv, constructions made of PVC are accepted at the landfill for construction waste. However, few installers are aware of this and take a responsible approach to disposal
The VEKA Umwelttechnik service in Europe offers containers for collecting old windows and taking them to factories. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
Indeed, PVC is not collected for recycling by public initiatives such as the well-known Kyivites "Ukraine without waste" (No Waste Recycling) and others. There are companies that are ready to export vinyl, but only in bulk - at least a ton per batch. For a person who replaced the windows in the apartment, this is not an option. And if the installers do not take the waste with them, the owner will most likely put the old frames in the garbage cans.
"In Kyiv, constructions made of PVC are accepted at the landfill for construction waste. However, few installers are aware of this and take a responsible approach to disposal. In general, the collection system has not yet been created. I think the reason is the lack of educational work and the authorities' indifference to the problem of PVC waste accumulation, - emphasizes Dmytro Firsov. — So far, the initiative comes only from below — from manufacturers, from us and our responsible colleagues.
We have our own crusher at our production facility in Ukraine, which we use to grind non-standard profiles and immediately put these raw materials back into operation within the production process. But we do not accept other people's post-industrial waste and user waste, since this is a slightly different process, which should be aimed at working with large-sized window sashes, including equipment for carefully separating the component parts of structures. In Germany, France, and Great Britain, the VEKA concern has long established a recycling system. The purity of raw materials is important to us. Our plants in Germany are able to separate all foreign particles and impurities. There are currently no similar productions in Ukraine."
The average service life of a PVC window is 30-40 years. It can be recycled up to 10 times. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
Zone of special control
The reputation of polyvinyl chloride suffered quite a bit at the beginning of the 21st century, when the Greenpeace organization announced the potential danger of the release of chlorine and toxins in the process of burning PVC. And since the majority of this polymer is still disposed of by burning, many countries hastened to take measures. No one is ready to give up convenient and practical material, but the standards for manufacturers have been strengthened as much as possible.
In the old frames, lead was used as a stabilizer, and plasticizers - phthalates. A few years ago, the EU and USA banned the production and import of PVC products containing these potentially dangerous substances. There are even more problems with soft vinyl, which has a large percentage of various chemical impurities. The task of manufacturers is clear - to change the technology of production of pellets, which they did. But processors face the task of cleaning recirculate from impurities, which is connected with complex chemical processes. Taking out is always more difficult than adding.
VEKA production line. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
But technologies are improving: just a few days ago, in August 2024, the results of the Circular Flooring project were published, within the framework of which technologists were looking for ways to recycle soft PVC waste: they managed to successfully remove plasticizers from old linoleum and obtain clean secondary raw materials that correspond to modern EU quality certificates.
At the same time, the Vynova company, the leader in the production of raw PVC in the EU, launched a research program together with scientific institutes. One such collaborative project is aimed at removing heavy metals—lead and cadmium—from old, end-of-life rigid PVC products. An extraction method using a combination of dissolution and membrane filtration technologies is being tested. Vynova plans to implement these technologies by 2030.
Nowadays, it can be said that PVC has become the most carefully controlled building material in the world. But fragmented information confused consumers.
"Our production is not dangerous, there is no specific smell or evaporation, that is, no one wears masks, not here, not in Germany, not in other countries," says Dmytro Firsov. — Granules are loaded into an industrial mixer, additives are added and the mixing process takes place in automatic mode. Then the prepared mixture is fed to the extrusion lines, where it turns into a plastic mass, passes through the corresponding forming tool under pressure and enters the cooling chambers, after which the corresponding marking, cutting and packaging are performed.
VEKA Recycling's goal is for every frame to eventually be returned for recycling. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
All manufacturers are obliged to comply with sanitary standards, and the products themselves must meet the declared quality. PVC does not support combustion, we call this property "self-extinguishing". Of course, if you specially light a bonfire from profiles, you can provide caustic smoke. Only once in my many years of practice did we encounter a customer's complaint about the smell in the room after installing new windows. They figured it out, and it turned out that the issue was the sealant used during the production of double-glazed windows with a violation of technology: the double-glazed window had to be replaced. It is important that all structural components are manufactured without deviations from the technology. Therefore, I believe that superstitions regarding the danger of production of both PVC profile systems and windows using modern technology are without real grounds."
Today, North America and Europe are the leaders in processing plastic, in particular vinyl. 700 tons of PVC are processed annually in EU countries. In Canada and the USA - 450 thousand tons. The American Vinyl Institute provides grants to recyclers and educates designers on various ways to recycle PVC. Still, these efforts are still not enough. Even in Great Britain, where the collection of old windows is already established and regulated, according to VEKA Recycling Ltd, about 20% of waste simply disappears and, most likely, ends up in general landfills. VEKA Recycling's goal is for every frame to eventually be recycled, while Plastics Europe aims for "zero plastic to landfill" in Europe.
PVC regranulate can be immediately used in the production of new window and door profiles. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
"It is necessary to deal with the processing of PVC waste, it is a matter of ecology and the health of the nation. But so far, there is no legislative framework and support for such an initiative in Ukraine. Small and medium-sized businesses will not pull it on their own. Environmental grants are not enough to cover all costs. A large investor or subsidies from the state is necessary. There is another way — consolidation of manufacturers. Conventionally speaking, companies can produce different products: some furniture, some building materials, but all jointly invest in the equipment of the plant and the processing process," suggests Olha Lekova.
According to pre-war statistics, only 12% of the production volume of window profiles was processed in Ukraine
Dmytro Firsov adds: "Today, the main problem is that organizing sorting and recycling is more expensive than non-ecological disposal at a landfill. People, especially in developing economies, naturally take the easy way out. Therefore, the main problem is the lack of incentive and the understanding that in a few more decades we will continue to live in an ecologically dirty area.
According to pre-war statistics, only 12% of the production volume of window profiles was processed in Ukraine. Mainly, it is pure waste from enterprises: shavings, profile trimmings. This recirculation went to the production of window sills or pipes. There was no secondary production of profiles at all. Now we raise this topic and inform you that the VEKA concern, as pioneers of PVC recycling, is ready to share its experience. We regularly discuss these issues with our shop colleagues. I think if it weren't for the war, we would have already found a solution."
Work process at one of the VEKA enterprises. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
In the EU, producers and processors are motivated and stimulated not only by grants and environmental subsidies, but also by fines and high taxes. A year ago, the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Viktoriya Kireyeva, informed the media that a tax on garbage, which is being developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources together with the Ministry of Finance and the State Tax Service, will soon be introduced in Ukraine. The purpose of additional taxation is to make burying garbage unprofitable, and recycling, on the contrary, brings income and investment.
PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA sent a request to the Ministry to find out how the work on the draft law is progressing, but since we sometimes have to wait several months for answers from Ukrainian state structures, we will publish it later - when we receive it.
VEKA is a partner of the VinylPlus® and Rewindo initiatives and participates in programs for the implementation of sustainable practices for the use of PVC at all stages of production. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
Is plastic recycling a business or a social program?
Today, the commercial effect of processing is small if it is carried out on an industrial scale. The difference in cost between primary and secondary raw materials is 10–15%. This is enough to make money, but not enough to get rich.
Olga Lekova: "I believe that if the goal is exclusively commercial, that is, obtaining a quick profit, then it is not worth starting. When we started developing the Recast Plastic line, we didn't even think about it as a business. The task was to satisfy the need of Ukrainians for comfortable and high-quality furniture in shelters. The second goal is to help solve environmental problems. Now we have reached commercial volumes. Abroad, recycling products are now in trend and are in greater demand than products made from primary materials, especially if they are polymers. In Ukraine, everything is still at an initial stage. If the goal is to make a profit, then the entrepreneur risks not being able to cope with the temptation to save on environmental certificates, compliance with technology, and quality. And the control system has not yet been built."
So far, VEKA enterprises have reduced CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere by 780 tons per year thanks to recycling and recycling
Dmytro Firsov: "If we talk about VEKA, the motivation to recycle is primarily social. In the EU, our companies install waste collection containers at factories, and then deliver them to a processing plant. So far, VEKA enterprises have reduced CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere by 780 tons per year thanks to recycling and recycling. Currently, we have about 40 million windows made of recycled plastic in circulation. And they are in increasing demand: it has become important for customers to know details about the life cycle of the products they buy. It is important to feel that you are not just consuming, but that you are doing it consciously without harming the planet. But it is quite possible to make money on processing, if you set up the system.
Processing plant VEKA Recycling. Photo: Christopher Schmidt
We became providers of this idea among our colleagues in Ukraine. However, so far we cannot establish a productive dialogue with state institutions. I assume that at the moment they are facing more urgent tasks, which are primarily related to the security of the country. PVC is still not toxic, now there is a lot of more dangerous waste in the territories near and in the combat zone, which requires an immediate response."
Ukrainians are already well acquainted with the principles of household sorting. Multi-colored bins for separate garbage collection are not rare, but commonplace at landfills. Sorting in industrial volumes is not much different from household sorting. For example, there is a national association for the demolition and dismantling of buildings in Germany. Before demolishing a morally or physically outdated object, she gathers a commission that decides where bricks, concrete, glass, metal, and PVC materials will go. And these are not only window profiles, but also floor coverings, roofing membranes, shutters, tarpaulins and pipes. It is hardly possible to create such a state commission in the conditions of war, but Ukrainians have already proved to the whole world that initiatives from below are often more effective. As for sorting construction waste, it is not as simple as collecting and recycling plastic bottles, but the principle is the same. It is only necessary to scale.
