PVC Recycling

PVC-U pipe is a 100% recyclable thermoplastic material.  PVC pipes at end of service life may be able to be recycled, strictly subject to the following requirements:

All PVC pipe recycling enquiries must be directed to the "Contact Us" screen of this website.  Any PVC pipes proposed for recycling must be presented in a 100% clean and washed condition, thoroughly waterblasted, and totally free of contaminants, including dirt, rubbish, and any non-PVC materials such as polyethylene pipes, rubber seal rings, paper, earth, vegetation, stones, etc..  PVC must be totally seperated from other plastic materials including PE.  Iplex Pipelines cannot recycle PVC sheet, plasticised PVC, elastomeric plastics, polypropylene, or any old PVC materials containing heavy metal additives. 

At Iplex we strive our best to recycle where possible.  An example of this was where we recently recycled a large batch of PVC pipe from an unusual source.

Frank O’Callaghan of Iplex explains; “Around 1.5 tonnes of PVC in the form of short lengths of pipe was delivered to our plant in Palmerston North. 

The pipe had been used in the dairy industry as cheese moulds and the cheesemaker wanted to get them recycled. The material was ideal, because it was very clean and was all one material.  We were able to chip the material and recycle it back into new pipe”.

This is a great example of how an organisation has used this service to avoid landfill costs and have their plastic pipe recycled.

BEP – What is Best Environmental Practice?

Iplex New Zealand’s PVC products are made using Best Environmental Practice (BEP) and as such attract positive credits under the NZ Green building Council’s Green Star rating system for commercial buildings.In 2012 the NZ Green Building Council introduced a PVC credit for manufacturing companies.

This credit awards up to 2 Green Star points for PVC materials that adhere to the best practice guidelines for PVC in the built environment. In short, it means that PVC pipe and fitting products that meet the BEP criteria can now be specified in New Zealand commercial buildings and go towards gaining credits or points towards the PVC component of the building’s overall Green star rating.

To demonstrate Best Environmental Practice PVC (BEP PVC), Iplex NZ was audited by, Approval Mark International. On 16 July 2012 Iplex NZ was issued with BEP PVC Certificate of Compliance No. 067.