March 2022

Using recycled materials can reduce
carbon emissions by 90,000 tonnes
be recycled up to 10 times without impacting on
performance.
Deceuninck has invested more than 15 million
Euros in one of the world’s most advanced PVC-U
recycling and compounding facilities, which give it
the capability to reprocess up to 45,000 tonnes of
post-consumer and post-manufacturing PVC-U per
year – the equivalent of preventing three million
windows from going to landfill annually.
Use of recycled material also delivers a reduction in
CO 2 emissions of 90,000 tonnes compared to virgin
feedstocks as well as a 90% energy saving.
“We’re not alone,” Rob continued. “A number of
other systems companies have also invested.
That, however, amounts to nothing if we don’t
communicate to the end user what we’re doing.
“As we’ve discovered, sustainability is a
key consideration for people choosing home
improvement products.
“People will choose products they see as more
sustainable over those that they don’t, and many are
prepared to pay more for them.
“However, it is clear that PVC-U windows have
something of an image problem, and some of those
virtuous anti-single-use-plastic messages are
deterring people from buying products that are both
recyclable, and have a high recycled content.”
The YouGov survey clearly highlights the importance
consumers place on environmentally friendly
products.
Companies that can successfully communicate the
sustainability benefits of PVC-U windows have an
active and growing market to go after.
“Coming up against preconceptions about plastic
seems like a difficult hurdle to overcome,” Rob says.
“But we are all actually singing from the same hymn
sheet, so once you make that clear, the rest is plain
sailing.”
Contact Deceuninck:
01249 816 969
www.deceuninck.co.uk
@Deceuninck
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
MARCH 2022 T I 61