Environmental matters
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The BPF Windows Group policy on the Environment is: |
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"...to encourage the development of a sustainable industry, one which uses resources in such an efficient way that future generations are not denied their use".
Our activity covers the efficient manufacture of raw materials and products and the minimisation of plant emissions and waste. We are also focused on the sustainable waste management of used products, the appropriate roles of re-use, recycling and energy-from-waste. With the aim of minimising the quantities of used materials and products going to landfill.
Please use the links below to discover more about the environmental considerations associated with the production, use and eventual disposal of PVC-U windows, doors and conservatories:
The Windows Group have developed a series of documents to support the PVC-U Windows Industry, some of which can be downloaded here:
- The Specifier Briefing is a very succint document, which demonstrates why you should specify PVC-U windows for your projects.
- A report commissioned by the European Commission to focus on Life Cycle Analyses of "PVC and Principal Competing Materials" concludes that there is "no “winner” in terms of a preferable material" for window frames, but that "the most promising potential for lowering environmental impacts of windows is expected through the optimisation of the design."
- The European PVC Industry has made a Voluntary Committment to the European Commission to ensure that the industry's products are compatible with sustainable development. The Vinyl 2010 agreement is available for download:
- PVC and PVC-U Windows can be readily recycled and the resulting recyclate re-used in a variety of applications. Through the Vinyl 2010 Voluntary Committement, the Recovinyl Scheme was formed to increase the tonneage of post-consumer PVC products recycled. In 2007, the UK was the lead PVC recycler in Europe under Recovinyl, with over 42,100tonnes recycled. To read more on the subject, please download this brochure:
The Windows Group is committed to promoting positive messages about PVC and is consequently developing a new website called www.pvcaware.org, to promote all of the uses of this versatile material.
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