AAMA Creates Paper Telling How to Recycle Vinyl Doors and Windows

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association's (AAMA) Vinyl Material Council (VMC) has released a new white paper, "Avoiding the Landfill: The Recycling of Vinyl Windows and Doors."

Originally, the VMC had initiated a feasibility study to evaluate strategies for making post-consumer vinyl recycling activities viable on a broad scale, and established a task group to outline the challenges of creating an industry-wide vinyl door and window recycling program. The group determined that, for an industry-wide door and window program to be successful, it would have to include doors and windows of all varying materials, not just vinyl doors and windows.

"The number of vinyl window and door units being replaced has been historically very low, thanks to their durability and ease of maintenance. But this figure is expected to increase significantly over time, due primarily to the volume of vinyl windows and doors installed since the early 1980s," says Kim Litz of Arkema Inc., chairman of the VMC's Green and Sustainability Committee, which developed the white paper.

"Avoiding the Landfill" notes that vinyl is an attractive recycling target because it can be melted and reformed repeatedly, enabling nearly 100 percent of all industrial waste generated in the production of vinyl to be recycled via closed-loop recycling. The group also points out that 80 percent of post-industrial vinyl is being reclaimed and recycled.

AAMA's VMC reports that for a recycling program in North America to be both sustainable and economically feasible, there would have to be a sufficient number of collection centers spread across the continent, along with a logistics network to support the transportation of materials to recyclers. North America's significant vinyl recycling infrastructure has more than 70 vinyl recycling operations and 80 manufacturers, whose products include recycled vinyl. The paper contends that the continent is well-positioned for a post-consumer vinyl recycling program that would include door and window units.

To stimulate collection and delivery of vinyl doors and windows to certified recyclers, the paper suggests the possibility of funding support from door and window manufacturers. The paper notes the success of a European vinyl industry recycling initiative known as Recovinyl, which provides financial incentives to support the collection and sending of PVC waste to accredited waste recovery companies and recyclers. The incentive payments help offset the higher cost of recycling, in comparison to such alternatives as landfills.

CLICK HERE to download "Avoiding the Landfill: The Recycling of Vinyl Windows and Doors." It is free to download.

Need more info and analysis about the issues?
CLICK HERE to subscribe to DWM magazine.