Green Materials/K2019: Inovyn’s bio-attributed PVC;

Chemical firms are claiming firsts in the industry, against the back of the drive for further sustainability. Inovyn has launched its latest generation of PVC under the brand name Biovyn, becoming the world’s first commercial producer of bio-attributed PVC using a supply chain fully certified by The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), it says.

Manufactured at Rheinberg, Germany, Biovyn is made using bio-attributed ethylene, a renewable feedstock derived from biomass that does not compete with the food chain. It is certified by RSB as delivering a 100% substitution of fossil feedstock in its production system, enabling a greenhouse gas saving of over 90% compared to conventionally produced PVC.

Inovyn says its choice of an RSB-certified feedstock also demonstrates its commitment to working within the emerging bio economy, adding to the extremely strong sustainability credentials of the latest PVC.

Commented Filipe Constant, Business Director Inovyn: “Driven by the increasing global focus on the circular economy, there is growing demand for a specialist, renewable PVC that decouples its production from the conventional use of virgin fossil feedstocks. Biovyn demonstrates that we can substitute the use of virgin fossil feedstocks without compromising the unique product qualities such as durability, flexibility and recyclability that make PVC one of the most widely used, sustainable plastics in the world.”

The new PVC is expected to have numerous value-added applications across a range of industry sectors, including highly specialised end-uses such as automotive and medical.

Inovyn has been working closely with flooring maker Tarkett since the early stages of product development. The first application will be by Tarkett, who will source it for a new flooring collection.

Concludes Filipe: “In addition to developing new bio-attributed PVC grades, we continue to play a pivotal role in the wider VinylPlus programme, through which the industry is collectively improving the sustainability performance of PVC.”