The U.S. Vinyl Industry’s Sustainability Initiative Is Rooted in Past Innovations
The U.S. vinyl industry is engaged in a comprehensive, sustainability strategy that began in 2016 with the formation of the Vinyl Business and Sustainability Council and the launch of a materiality assessment to obtain an overall snapshot of stakeholder perceptions about how the industry is doing in the environmental, social, and economic spheres—and where it can do better. While attention is being put on this and other current sustainability initiatives, what often gets overlooked is that the U.S. vinyl industry has in fact been focused on driving innovation and sustainability for almost 50 years. Here’s a snapshot of that effort and the results that came about in reducing emissions, eliminating harmful chemicals, and making workers safer. A Culture of Safety Resin production has increased significantly since the 1970s – and yet, at the same time, emissions have been reduced and on-the-job health and safety has been strengthened considerably. In fact, many resin manufactu