Good discussions took place recently at the Select4Care closing event at LogiVille, focusing on how medical plastic recycling can move from pilot projects to large-scale, operational solutions.
VinylPlus Healthcare contributed to the programme by presenting the current status of DEHP-free medical PVC, highlighting how substitution with safe, regulated plasticisers is already well advanced. This progress is a key enabler for recycling in practice across most medical applications and directly supports the development of viable recycling schemes.
Discussions also addressed what it takes to scale up medical PVC recycling: selective collection at hospital level, strong material knowledge, informed design choices, and clear, consistent regulatory frameworks across the value chain. Several hospitals – including sites within the large ZAS hospital network – are already actively participating in a dedicated medical PVC recycling scheme that has been operational in Belgium since 2022, providing concrete experience to build on.
The programme continued with site visits to AZ Jan Portaels in Vilvoorde, a hospital actively collecting medical vinyl and to De Loods Nekker in Mechelen, a dismantling hub operating within the social economy. Clean, well-sorted medical PVC tubing and masks ready for recycling clearly demonstrated how careful collection, dismantling and handling enable high-quality recycling in practice.
Further discussions focused on next steps for strengthening existing schemes. Particular attention was given to how co-collection with other hospital waste streams – such as blue wraps and surgical trays – can be optimised to improve logistics efficiency while maintaining material quality.
Together, these activities underline that medical PVC recycling is no longer theoretical. With the right material choices and systems in place, it is already working – and provides a solid foundation for defining the next steps of VinylPlus Healthcare’s recycling activities.
