Vinyl Institute of Canada launches vinyl window recycling program

The Toronto-based Vinyl Institute of Canada (VIC), along with several national and international partners, has launched the first Canadian program for recycling postconsumer vinyl windows: Project Win-Finity.

Aimed at reducing construction waste and advancing a circular economy, the pilot begins the week of Sept. 15—in line with World Cleanup Day 2025—with a launch event planned for Sept. 19.

"The Vinyl Institute of Canada is thrilled to be the official steward of the Win-Finity program, our second recycling pilot after PVC 123, a hospital medical device recycling program launched in 2020," says Aiñe Curran, president and CEO of VIC.

Dealers or installers begin by collecting windows in on-site bins. These bins go to a glass recycler, where glass is removed for reuse. Any remaining vinyl is sent to a plastics recycler, where quality is assessed for use in manufacturing new windows. The process also will be reviewed for economic feasibility, VIC says.

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Partners of Project Win-Finity include the Vinyl Institute of Canada; Formosa Plastics Corp. U.S.A.; Vision Extrusions Group; and the National Research Council of Canada.

"We are pleased to contribute our research expertise and support for this project to reduce plastic waste and reintegrate it into the value chain—helping to minimize the Canadian construction sector's carbon footprint," says Marzieh Riahinezhad, Ph.D., technical lead of the project and a research officer at the National Research Council of Canada.

Additional support for the project comes from Fenestration Canada; Strategic Materials Inc.; the Municipal Waste Association of Ontario; SAWDAC; Circular Partners Inc.; Oligomaster Inc.; Consumer Direct Windows and Doors; and EPL Plastics Inc.

"Formosa is proud to support the Win-Finity project as a tangible step toward circularity in the vinyl value chain. Advancing postconsumer recycling through industry collaboration is essential to building a more sustainable future," says Fred Neske, assistant vice president, environment, safety and communications, at Formosa Plastics Corp. U.S.A.

"Vision Group is excited and proud to be part of this program,” says Tony Vella of Vision Extrusions Group. “The ability to divert postconsumer vinyl windows from landfills and demonstrate the value of recycling vinyl and the economic viability is critical to reducing the carbon footprint and sustainability of our products for future generations."