For us, sustainability is much more than just a word. As RE:CORE, we have set ourselves the goal of reducing resource consumption in the window industry through recycling. Our core competency consists of putting materials, such as PVC, into a closed materials cycle when their service life ends and making them usable again. By doing this, we are protecting raw materials deposits around the world and helping to reduce damage to the climate and environment caused by depletion of primary raw materials. We take the responsibility of caring for our planet in this way very seriously, because current climate protection projects and limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees will only be possible with a consistent circular economy.
CONSERVING RESOURCES WITH RECYCLING
Continuing to work predominantly with primary raw materials will result in bottlenecks in the near future for two crucial reasons. Firstly, natural deposits are limited. The sources will soon be used up and will no longer be sufficient to serve the entire global population in future. Secondly, the extraction and utilisation of fossil raw materials have high energy requirements, which results in a lot of emissions that are damaging to the climate. The production of PVC, for example, causes 2.03kg of CO2e per kg of PVC. The only way to get round this in the future is by recycling, and switching to recycled raw materials is indispensable for our planet, because one tonne of PVC recyclate saves 2 tonnes of CO2e. Putting all our efforts into driving forward this switch is a matter that is close to our hearts. This is why we, with our partners REMONDIS and Schüco, are committed to campaigning to increase use of the high-quality recycled PVC raw materials, which we produce, in the construction industry. In our opinion, it is crucial that the use of recycled materials in the manufacture of new products is promoted and rewarded with building certifications, for example, in order to incentivise a reduction in the consumption of primary raw materials.
THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR WILL CHANGE
The European Green Deal is working towards the ambitious target of being climate neutral by 2050 at the latest. This means that requirements for future investments and calls for tender are also changing significantly in the construction sector. The main criterion will be a building’s carbon footprint. Using recycled material allows this value to be reduced in comparison with using primary raw materials . This is where RE:CORE comes in. We want to use our business to close material cycles for old windows and profile sections from PVC-U window fabrication and therefore drive the circular economy forward in the construction sector, effectively using recycling to achieve the Green Deal.
PVC-U – A RAW MATERIAL WITH A FUTURE
PVC-U is used throughout the building sector in the form of windows and doors. Thanks to excellent insulating properties in the building envelope, innovative new windows and doors are making an important contribution to save heating energy and thus reduce greenhouse gases. Even after a normal product life cycle of over 40 years, the PVC-U used is an ideal material for the circular economy. This is because if it is collected, separated and reprocessed, the recycled PVC-U can be reused up to seven times without compromising on the quality of the end products. Thanks to recycling, the raw material PVC has a lifespan of over 280 years as a window. At the same time, recycling saves 90% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to the production of new PVC , which benefits our environment. We have set ourselves this important target and want to start a trend with our commitment to PVC-U recycling.
