# PVC

Polyvinyl chloride: the chlorine-based plastic of pipes, window frames, cables and flooring, and India's most import-dependent commodity polymer.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/

Pseudo-commodities · Commodity plastics · No. 49

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Minerals and salts
- about 47 Mt a year (2023, derived: S&P Global puts world PVC use at 13 lb (about 5.9 kg) per person in 2023, x 8.0 billion people; in line with the VCM tile)
- 3.7 t CO₂e per t
- HS 390410
 Pseudo-commodities · Commodity plastics · Foundation · Matter

PVC is 57% chlorine from common salt, and India imports about 3 Mt of the 4.55 Mt it uses.

Chart: Illustration: PVC

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Chlorine from salt meets ethylene, or acetylene from coal-based calcium carbide, to make vinyl chloride. This is polymerised in water into a white powder.

##### Three things to know

1. India uses about 4.55 Mt of PVC a year but has only about 1.6 Mt of capacity, so it imports about 3 Mt.
2. Carbide-route PVC, mostly in China, can emit 6-10 t of CO2e per tonne against about 2 t on the ethylene route.
3. US export PVC hit a five-year low of $630 a tonne while suspension PVC CFR India was $720 in February 2026.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Salt**Electrolysis: 1.75 t salt per tonne chlorine
2. 2 **VCM**From ethylene or coal-based calcium carbide
3. 3 **Suspension**Batch reactors at 50-70 C
4. 4 **Compounding**Stabilisers, fillers, up to 40% plasticiser
5. 5 **Conversion**Pipes, window profiles, flooring, cable
6. 6 **Long life**Pipes and frames last decades
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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/links/index.md)