Cannes, 30 April – On 30 April, the European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI) has attended the Vinyl Sustainability Forum, the leading event of the vinyl value chain. Over a hundred participants from all over the world have gathered in Cannes to discuss the theme “More Vinyl, Less Carbon”. Speakers from the UNIDO, the UNEP, the European Commission and national governmental bodies as well as industry representatives, NGOs and other key stakeholders exchanged their views on how the PVC value chain is helping combat climate change by improving energy and resource efficiency and helping reduce greenhouse gasses (ghg) emissions.
ECPI’s manager, Stéphane Content, highlighted the plasticisers’ industry’s responsibility to ensure the safe and sustainable use of its products across the value-chain by providing robust scientific information on the properties and benefits of plasticisers. These substances are used to manufacture high-performing, durable and long-lasting flexible PVC applications such as reflective roofing membranes or insulating wires and cables enabling the reduction of ghg emissions and improving resource and energy efficiency.
“The PVC industry is constantly striving to improve its production processes and products, investing in technology to minimise emissions, reduce waste and boost collection and recycling” stated Stéphane Content. “Innovation is crucial to address climate change and to enhance the sustainability of chemical substances”, he added, “but R&D is time and cost intensive, requiring regulatory predictability, which should certainly be improved by governments all around the globe”.
The Forum generated a lively debate around the importance of building synergies amongst different stakeholders at local, national and international level. Successful results can be reached more efficiently by identifying common goals, sharing information and best practices, as well as having a coherent regulatory framework and a well-coordinated action. “It was interesting to note the close interaction between single industries’ initiatives and the much broader approach of the UN and EU agendas to combat climate change”, commented Stéphane Content.