The medical field is responsible for large volumes of plastic and non-plastic waste, to ensure sanitation. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a plastic that is commonly discarded from medical facilities that could be collected, if it was economically and technologically viable to recycle. PVC degradation can be dangerous, which is a large reason why it is not commonly recycled. This research looked into finding if the PVC was degrading in the processing step. Finding out whether degradation occurs is vital, as it determines if recycling PVC is a technological/gathering issue, or simply not viable. Virgin and regrind PVC samples were tested for heat flow via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectra via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), viscosity via capillary rheometer, and molecular weight via gel permeation chromatography (GPC). From these tests, it was concluded that no degradation occurred in the processing of the PVC. This means that PVC recycling is possible; however, many steps still need to be made for it to occur.
