Background

Approximately 40 million tons of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are produced annually, making PVC one of the most widely produced synthetic plastic polymers. Waste materials that contain PVC are extremely difficult to recycle mechanically. Thermochemical methods such as pyrolysis are also undesirable because of hydrochloric acid and chlorinated organic byproducts that are produced by thermal decomposition of PVC. This process is a unique chemical method of converting PVC to a chlorine‑free polymer, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), that is recyclable.