Finally, a Recycled PVC Product

A major drawback to vinyl building products has been the fact that they contain no recycled content. But Charlotte Pipe has proven that this obstacle is surmountable.

The product is called RePVC, and it's a game changer.  The company should be given lots of credit for making this product happen. They are using recycled PVC resin from various companies that have begun to enter that business.

Bradford Muller, VP of Marketing at Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, explained the new Schedule 40 PVC product to me last week at the Builder's Show in Vegas.

"Recycling PVC was a natural for us," he said. "We're known for our iron piping, which is made from 96% post consumer material."

The core of each section of RePVC  is made with the recycled plastic, accounting for 30% to 80% of the overall material in the pipe. It's approved for manufactured to ASTM D 4396, ASTM F 1760 and is NSF listed.

RePVC use in green homes also gains buiders some LEED points. The fittings for the pipes are still made with virgin PVC, to meet code requirements.

The bar has been raised. I've written before about what the PVC industry needs to support its green claims. Now it's time for vinyl siding makers and window makers to do the right thing. The PVC industry is overdue for a green makeover. Imagine a 100-year siding that's made from recycled PVC and can be recycled at end of life. Now that would be a story worth covering.