The ECVM (European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers) choosed Solvay for the developement of a pilot plant designed to create a new channel for recycling used PVC. Solvay and the European PVC producers are hereby stressing their commitment to implement sustainable solutions to PVC recycling and improve the material's environmental performance throughout its life cycle.

With a total cost of EUR 3 million and a capacity to handle 2,000 tonnes of PVC a year, it is set to be the first "chemical" PVC recycling project ever launched on this scale in Europe. Based on technology developed by Linde-KCA of Germany, the process involves decomposing the polymerized PVC so as to be able to recover materials to be reused for manufacturing new PVC.

The task of building the pilot plant has been assigned to Solvay's Tavaux plant, located in the Eastern part of France. Work on building the unit will start this year to enable the unit to be operational towards the second half of 2000.

This partnership between European PVC producers stresses their willingness to develop a real integrated management strategy to cover the product's entire life cycle, including the end-of life and waste stages.

Solvay announced recently another process, Vinyloop ® for the recycling of PVC compounds-based products. These projects reassert Solvay's confidence in the future of PVC, whose numerous applications make a valuable contribution to daily life.

Solvay is providing further proof of its commitment to the chemical industry's Responsible Care® programme, which seeks to promote sustainable development via better protection for the environment and improving health and safety conditions.

Set up in 1988 in Brussels, the ECVM (European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers) is representing the European PVC industry. The Council is a division of the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APME). Members are the 10 leading PVC producers in Europe, including Solvay.

Solvay is a Brussels-based international chemical and pharmaceuticals group. It has a workforce of 33,000 in 46 countries. Totalling EURO 7.5 billion in 1998, the groups turnover was generated by its four fields of activity: chemicals, plastics, processing and pharmaceuticals.

For further information please contact :

Jacques de Gerlache , Health, Safety and Environment Corporate Communications
SOLVAY S.A. Corporate Headquarters
Tel: 32 2 509 64 54
Fax: 32 2 509 72 40
E-mail : jacques.degerlache@solvay.com