Vinyl Institute’s 2023 In Review

2023 was a busy and successful year for many industries – and the world of vinyl was no different. We thought it would be a good idea to highlight the Vinyl Institute’s 2023 in Review. As we begin another calendar year and plan for the next 12 months, keep reading to see a roundup of the SIX most impactful initiatives and advocacy efforts for our industry from the last 12 months.

VI and Industry Members Participate in US Discussions in Both Paris and Nairobi, Centered Around a Possible Global Plastics Treaty

2023 saw unprecedented attacks on the vinyl industry. Most notably, this is happening through the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), which convened two negotiating sessions – one in Paris and another in Nairobi – to discuss its proposed Global Plastics Treaty. The “High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution” has called for restrictions and outright bans on polymer production, among other supply-side provisions, and our team was on the ground at these meetings to educate delegates on the positive impact that PVC products have on human rights, equity and public health around the globe. Our team is planning to attend the next rounds of conversations in Ottawa in April 2024, and then Busan, South Korea, later in ’24.

EPA’s Tentative Denial of the Center for Biological Diversity Petition

All the way back in January of 2023, the vinyl industry scored its first big win of the year. The EPA tentatively ruled against a CBD petition that could regulate discarded PVC as hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The EPA noted that CBD’s petition didn’t present enough evidence that discarded PVC presented an outsized hazard to human or environmental health. This decision was made in no small part due to the strong response from our network – the VI generated almost 300 individual emails to the EPA staff, encouraging them to oppose the petition. In addition, 30 trade associations joined the VI in a coalition letter to the EPA. The final ruling will be announced this year – stay tuned.

Vinyl Resin Producers Join Together to Fund Innovative Recycling Programs and Research

In a first-of-its-kind program from the Vinyl Institute – thanks to a $3 million dollar contribution from the four full members of the Vinyl Institute (OxyChem, Formosa, Shintech, Westlake) – the association is helping to fund programs designed to increase post-consumer recycling of vinyl. Our industry set a lofty goal to increase post-consumer recycling by 10% from our 2020 baseline by 2025, and it takes a monetary investment to move the needle. Through 2023, 14 organizations from across the industry – including fellow trade associations, research institutions, recyclers, and medical facilities – have received funding from this program. With a collective effort, we’re making a difference in the world of vinyl recycling.

The VI Worked Closed with State Partners to Slow Down or Stop PVC Bans Around the Nation

Threats to our quality and important products aren’t coming solely from international bodies – but increasingly from within the United States as well. A handful of states introduced legislation that would have banned PVC in applications like packaging. Our team helped to stop this legislation from becoming law in Maine, California, and New York, by educating decision-makers about PVC’s safe use in packaging applications, as well as its importance to the healthcare, agriculture, and water industries.

The VI Pushed Back on Unnecessary TSCA Protocols

During 2023, the VI brought a lawsuit against the EPA over its avian test order for 1,1,2-Trichloroethane. After initially receiving the 60-day abeyance in the case, oral arguments started in early December. While the VI remains a trusted partner with the EPA on several important matters, including a constructive and collaborative approach to developing data that will inform several other TSCA risk evaluations, we oppose unnecessary animal testing. You can read the VI’s full statement on the ongoing case here.

VI Helped Introduce Legislation Language Recognizing Plastic Pipe in Congress

After months of working with Representative Marc Molinaro (R-NY-19) on the Congressional Farm Bill to recognize the energy and water savings plastic pipes provide, our team was able to have a bipartisan bill introduced in the House. HR 5723, the Leveraging Efficiency Awareness for Pumping Systems Act (LEAPS) was introduced on September 26th. In addition to Congressman Molinaro (R-NY-19), Congresswomen Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-8) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-7) are original cosponsors and all three are on the House Agriculture Committee. We are hopeful that bipartisan bill HR 5723 will be added to the Farm Bill in 2024.