Best Practice PVC Product Register

Following extensive consultation with stakeholders, the Vinyl Council of Australia (VCA) has launched its updated ‘Best Environmental Practice PVC (BEP) v 2.0’ verification scheme for PVC products with the VCA taking on full responsibility for ongoing development, management, and administration of the updated BEP scheme.

Originally launched in 2010, the BEP scheme remains the most stringent criteria and guidelines for manufacturing PVC with participants required to meet conditions including VCM emissions targets, voluntary restrictions of additive use and stewardship requirements for end of first use of PVC products in Australia. Under the updated BEP scheme, products that are independently verified as being fully compliant with all core and one or more optional scheme guidelines are eligible to be issued with a Best Environmental Practice PVC Licence Mark by the VCA, and included in the online product register to indicate to procurers and specifiers that the BEP PVC manufacturing guidelines have been met.

While the original BEP scheme was only applicable to PVC products used in the building and construction sector, the updated BEP accreditation is available to all complying PVC products across the full spectrum of PVC applications.

Following the launch of the updated scheme, it is important to note that there will be a transition period as current BEP accreditation will continue to be valid until the existing verification expiry. The updated BEP guidelines will become mandatory from 1st September 2023 onwards when companies seek renewal of their BEP accreditation, however the VCA encourages all companies undergoing the auditing process prior to this date to elect to be audited against the updated guidelines.

“The BEP 2.0 product certification scheme continues to reflect ongoing best practice in PVC manufacturing through the core guidelines, while also reflecting societal expectations for increased focus on the environmental and social impacts of products and materials through the addition of optional criteria,” said VCA CEO Jim Coulston.

The VCA has worked closely with the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) to ensure that the updated BEP scheme is recognised under the GBCA’s Responsible Products Framework, which seeks to drive the supply chain to deliver transparent, healthy, low-impact products that are part of a circular economy.

To learn more about the guidelines and audit requirements involved in gaining BEP verification, please click here.

The VCA will celebrate 25 years since its inception at this year's Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Awards Dinner, which will take place on Tuesday 28th November at the Novotel Melbourne Preston.

The official AGM proceedings will run from 4:00-5:30pm, and will be followed by the Awards Networking Dinner from 6:00-10:30pm.

To register for the 2023 AGM and Awards Dinner, CLICK HERE! 

PVC AUS 2024 Program

The program for PVC AUS is now available. As always, highlights include a wide range of expert speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities and the formal PVC AUS dinner.

To view the program schedule, click the link below.

PVC AUS 2024 Future Driven Program Schedule- Program Schedule

PVC AUS 2024 Location and Hotel Information

PVC AUS 2024 will take place on the Gold Coast, Queensland, with the conference and delegate accommodation taking place at the Hilton Hotel Surfers Paradise.

Delegates will be invited to stay at the Hilton Hotel, 6 Orchid Ave, Surfers Paradise for the duration of the conference and will be elligible to enjoy special discounted rates on accommodation at the Hilton during the conference. 

Discounted Rates

Hilton Guest Room: $215 pp (inc. breakfast)

Hilton Guest Room Twin Share: $245 pp (inc. breakfast)

To book, please contact Carol Hassan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PVC AUS 2024 Sponsors and Exhibitors

Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities for PVC AUS 2024 are currently open!

To find out more about becoming a sponsor or exhibitor at PVC AUS 2024, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To find out more about the sponsors of PVC AUS 2024, click on the company logos below.

 

 

Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Dinner Sponsor			Speaker Sponsor
Welcome Drinks Sponsor

Exhibitors

Formosa Plastics Corporation, Taiwan

Australian Vinyls Corporation

PT Asahimas

Primaplas

CSIRO

Think Fencing

Global GreenTag

Welvic Australia

Plasmec

Siegware

Bureau Veritas

Viridian Glass

Vinyl Council of Australia (VCA)

H&R ANZ Pty Ltd

 Repurpose Recycling

Omnigraphics Australia

 Asia Pacific Vinyl Network (APVN)

Prospective authors are invited to submit abstracts of up to 300 words for consideration for the program for the IOM3's PVC 2024 conference, up until the extended deadline of 31st May 2023. The abstract must provide sufficient information for a fair assessment including the objective of the paper, the methodology used and the conclusions or results of the work. The abstract must be written in English.

Find out more and submit your abstract by clicking here.

The PVC 2024 conference continues to build on its reputation as the leading global conference, delivering a comprehensive, varied and programme of excellent international speakers and exceptional networking opportunities.

Previous delegates describe their experience at the PVC Conference as well organised and enjoyable, providing an excellent opportunity to network, meeting established and new contacts, plus providing a great opportunity to update their knowledge of the latest developments in the industry.

Over 35% of delegates include Senior Management Team Members (including CEOs, Directors, Vice Presidents and senior managers, e.g. function heads and technical specialists), with a further 41% in other management roles.

Dr Jason Leadbitter, CEnv, FIMMM, PVC 2024 Chair – ‘PVC 2024 returns to Edinburgh for the first time as an in-person event in April 2024, some seven years since our last physical meeting. Whilst the vinyl industry continues to be challenged by our European regulators, the PVC industry continues to be a beacon of light and an exemplar in walking the talk from a sustainability perspective. Indeed PVC 2024's theme 'A Roadmap to a Sustainable Future' will demonstrate over this three day event, just how far the global PVC industry has transitioned on its path towards full sustainability'.

The Vinyl Council of Australia successfully held its 4-day Hazards from Fire: Quantification of Fire Behaviour Fire Retardancy and Fire Toxicity course in Melbourne last month, with world-renowned fire expert Prof. Richard Hull leading the intensive course which was attended by industry leaders from across the PVC and manufacturing sectors.

Prof. Hull, Professor of Chemistry and Fire Science from the School of Natural Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, is a leading expert in the behaviour of unwanted fire with over 100 published papers on the assessment and influence of fire retardants on flammability, toxicity of fire smoke and effects of fire retardants on the smoke toxicity.

The carefully designed course covered the fundamentals of fire behaviour and provided a highly-valuable opportunity for those in attendance to further their knowledge regarding the fire behaviour of modern materials. Feedback from attendees found the course to be well-structured and Prof. Hull a particularly engaging presenter.

Over the 4 days, the course covered a wide range of focus areas including an introduction to fires and fire science, polymer decomposition mechanisms and how it’s studied, interpretation of thermal analysis and cone calorimetry data, measurement of flammability and interpretation of results, fire retardants and hazards and lessons from real fires, particularly the rapidity of fire spread and how quickly the primary toxic products in smoke – Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen Cyanide - can debilitate and kill in a developed fire. Delegates also enjoyed an engaging networking dinner with Prof. Hull after the penultimate day.

The course materials, including a full copy of Professor Hull’s lecture notes and slides across the 4 days, are available for purchase from the VCA. To find out more, please contact the VCA Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Vinyl Council of Australia (VCA) is holding a second final consultation and feedback period for its updated Best Environmental Practice (BEP) 2.0 PVC product verification scheme, following extensive consultation with stakeholders over recent months.

Launched over a decade ago, the BEP scheme remains the most stringent criteria and guidelines for manufacturing PVC with participants required to meet conditions such as emissions targets below regulatory limits, voluntary restrictions on the use of certain additives and stewardship requirements for end of first use of PVC products in Australia.

Under the current BEP scheme, products that are independently verified as being fully compliant with all scheme guidelines are recognised in the GBCA’s product certification scheme for Green Star building rating tools, as well as other public and private procurement policies in Australia.

The VCA also issues a Best Environmental Practice PVC Licence Mark and provides an online register of PVC product manufacturers that are confirmed as meeting the guidelines’ required stringent compliance conditions. BEP accreditation can be achieved by manufacturers not only in Australia but around the world, with PVC products manufactured in Europe, the US and Asia among those having achieved BEP verification.

Updates to the BEP scheme will result in closer alignment of the scheme guidelines with the VCA’s PVC Stewardship Program commitments, which represent an ongoing, voluntary undertaking by companies within the Australian PVC industry to recognise and address relevant environmental, health and safety aspects within the lifecycle of PVC products.

Following an extensive consultation and review period on the scheme with the GBCA and various stakeholders over a period of close to a year, since the prior consultation round in late 2022 each BEP guideline has been reclassified as ‘Core’, ‘Mandatory’, or ‘Optional’. Additional information has also been added regarding the historical development of the scheme, and some minor changes to auditor guidance, wording and evidence requirements has taken place.

The VCA is once again offering any further interested parties a final chance to provide feedback on the detailed compliance criteria and verification requirements proposed for the updated scheme moving forward. The VCA aims to launch the updated BEP 2.0 scheme criteria and guidelines by mid-2023.

If you wish to provide feedback, please contact the VCA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive a copy of the proposed changes and other relevant information. All feedback must be received by the close of the final consultation period on Friday 28th April 2023 to be considered.