In 2024, the U.S. and Canada recycled more than 1.127 billion pounds of PVC, according to The State of PVC Recycling in the USA & Canada, a study conducted by The Vinyl Institute in collaboration with Scrapp. The report, published this year, was designed to help industry stakeholders establish a credible baseline for PVC recycling efforts, inform future targets and explore potential strategies for accelerating PVC recycling in North America.
What institute leadership says
“Both the vinyl industry and end users have been making meaningful, intentional strides in recycling and reuse, and this report reflects the returns for those efforts — and points to much more to come,” says Ned Monroe, President & CEO of The Vinyl Institute. “The findings underscore a positive outlook: Post-industrial recycling is thriving, and opportunities for post-consumer recovery are significant. Looking ahead, we can clearly see a fruitful path forward through voluntary collaboration and continued innovation across manufacturers, recyclers, and downstream partners.”
Key findings
Based on the survey results, the amount of PVC recycled in 2024 surpassed that of 2019 by more than 45 million pounds. While the industry saw overall growth, the data reveals a significant shift between industrial and consumer sources:
- Post-Industrial Growth: Recycled volume rose to 1.056 billion pounds (a 10% increase), driven in part by high landfill costs and strong manufacturer demand for recycled content.
- Post-Consumer Decline: This sector fell to 71.3 million pounds, missing the 2020-set goal by 58%. This unexpected drop is primarily attributed to a significant slowdown of vinyl flooring replacement projects in the retail market that peaked in 2019.
While the industry didn’t meet its post-consumer target, the ambitious goal led to the formation of the VIABILITY recycling grant funding program, which resulted in nearly $3 million contributed by the leading U.S. producers of PVC resin to increase post-consumer recycling capacity, capabilities, and technologies.
How the report will guide the industry going forward
As it looks to the future, the industry aims to develop strategies to create more opportunities for increasing post-consumer PVC recycling. The growth of post-industrial recycling shows that the material is not the issue — logistics and/or economics are holding back post-consumer material recycling from growing at the same rate. Ultimately, if processes are perfected for post-industrial recycling, then this expertise may be carried over to the more complex post-consumer side.
The analysis reveals a PVC recycling landscape poised for transformation and identifies clear pathways for industry growth, which will generate substantial future recovery opportunities. Most importantly, this data validates the vision and dedication of recyclers across North America who have long understood PVC’s circular potential despite limited systematic support — their efforts to recover and reprocess PVC materials are not just driven by environmental stewardship, but the foundation of an emerging circular economy that can deliver both increasing economic value and environmental benefit.
“We are proud of the substantial progress being made in North America regarding the recycling of PVC, and we recognize the industry still faces challenges,” says Monroe. “Better data allows every stakeholder to pursue growth, meet customer expectations, and deliver more sustainable benefits without compromising choice or market dynamics. This report is a roadmap for progress, built on transparency and shared opportunity. Together, we can advance circularity in ways that reward innovation, respect market diversity, and create value for businesses and communities alike.”