Efficiency & Sustainability
ONWARD AND UPWARDS FOR ‘ GOOD PLASTIC ’
Stuart Stockley , managing director of VEKA Recycling , explains why the fenestration industry should remain focused on the issue of climate change and continue to build on the great efforts made by the sector to date .
Recent headlines have included the news that Rishi Sunak has weakened some of his net zero policies . The prime minister caused uproar when he announced the delay in phasing out diesel and petrol cars and gas boilers , while claiming that Britan remains on target for Net Zero by 2050 . Unfortunately , headlines of this ilk distract from the great initiatives that are already in place and the good work they continue to do to improve our environment and reduce our carbon footprint . Not least of which , the huge amount of work already being done to reduce waste , to recycle materials and therefore reduce carbon emissions by returning important materials back into the economy .
All plastic is not equal VEKA Recycling Ltd has made great strides into improving sustainability . We have worked hard to put PVC-U forward as a ‘ good plastic ’. The dialogue in the wider economy indicates a level of recognition of the fact that all plastic is not equal , and it is becoming increasingly accepted that the PVC-U we use in windows is quite different to the single use plastic that society is trying to eliminate . I would even go as far as to say that PVC-U is one of fenestration ’ s biggest assets when it comes to sustainability , but only if it ’ s recycled responsibly by every installer as a matter of course .
VEKA Recycling collects post-consumer frames from fabricators and installers that want to confidently demonstrate their commitment to sustainability to their customers . We process the frames at our specialist PVC-U window and door frame recycling site in Wellingborough , which means we can guarantee that recycling standards and legal guidelines will be upheld at every stage , protecting our fabricator and installer customers , as well as consumers . It ’ s disappointing that there are people out there willing to maximise on the commercial benefits of sustainability with no intention of doing the right thing , but that is the unfortunate truth and installers need to be aware of this fact before choosing their recycling partner .
By recycling more we are diverting PVC-U from landfill and reducing the amount of virgin material used in the manufacture of fenestration products . This reduces carbon emissions , but also extends the service life of PVC-U by decades , or even centuries .
Huge opportunity Fabricators and installers therefore have a fantastic opportunity because the number of eco-conscious consumers is increasing and they will be attracted by the fact that when they order new windows their old PVC-U frames will be removed from their home , recycled responsibly , and reprocessed to eventually create brand new products that can be recycled again at the end of their lives . The key to making the most of this opportunity though , is to use credible recycling companies to collect and process old frames . To demonstrate its own authenticity and credibility , VEKA Group has set itself a clear goal of operating in a climate-neutral manner at all locations and across all scopes by 2045 .
I can understand the frustration people feel when they hear of deadlines being pushed back by government , but in some ways , it makes it even more important to embrace and promote existing technologies that are having an enormous and positive impact on the environment and towards our achievement of Net Zero . There is more that can be done to make these even more effective , such as the simple act of banning PVC-U from landfill , but in the meantime , we will continue to help fabricators and installers meet demand for the eco-conscious supply of PVC-U windows and doors .
www . veka-recycling . co . uk
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM NOVEMBER 2023
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