# PVC: Production route

Ethylene or coal: the choice that sets cost and carbon

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

What this tab covers How it is made: the main production routes or, for product families, the main product types and technologies, compared on share of supply, inputs per tonne, plant scale, yield, co-products and unit cost.

PVC itself is made almost entirely by suspension polymerisation of VCM, with emulsion (paste) PVC for coatings and leathercloth and a little bulk PVC. The commercially decisive choice is upstream: VCM from ethylene plus chlorine (balanced oxychlorination, used in the US, Europe, Japan, the Gulf and India's Reliance) or from coal via calcium carbide and acetylene (most Chinese inland plants). The carbide route uses cheap coal and power but emits far more CO2 and uses mercury catalysts.

#### Routes compared

| Route | Share of supply | Inputs per tonne | Typical scale | Yield | Co-products | Unit cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Suspension PVC (S-PVC) on the ethylene route** | about 60-65% of world PVC (indicative: about 85-90% suspension x about 70% ethylene route) | about 1.0 t VCM (about 0.48 t ethylene and 0.59 t chlorine), about 0.2-0.3 MWh and 1-2 t steam per t (indicative) | 200-1,000 kt/yr sites (indicative) | about 99% of VCM to resin after recycle (indicative) | none at polymerisation; caustic soda co-produced upstream | VCM about $500-550/t (VCM tile) plus about $100-150/t conversion: about $600-700/t (indicative) |
| **Suspension PVC on the carbide (acetylene) route** | about 25-30% of world PVC, nearly all in China (indicative) | about 1.4-1.5 t calcium carbide (about 3.2-3.4 MWh per t carbide) and 0.58 t HCl per t VCM (VCM tile) | 300-1,000 kt/yr integrated coal-power-carbide-PVC sites in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia (indicative) | high; carbide slag about 1.2 t per t carbide (indicative) | carbide slag (calcium hydroxide), spent mercury catalyst | competitive at Chinese coal and captive power costs; not published |
| **Emulsion (paste) PVC (E-PVC)** | about 5-8% (indicative) | about 1.0 t VCM; more drying energy (spray drying) than S-PVC (indicative) | 50-200 kt/yr (indicative) | high | none significant | premium of about $100-300/t over S-PVC (indicative) |
| **Chlorinated PVC (CPVC) and specialty grades** | about 1-2% (indicative) | PVC plus chlorine | small | high | HCl | well above S-PVC (indicative) |

#### How each route works
**Suspension PVC (S-PVC) on the ethylene route**

VCM from balanced ethylene oxychlorination is dispersed as droplets in water with suspending agents and initiators, polymerised in batch reactors, stripped of residual VCM, centrifuged and dried into a porous powder.

Lowest carbon and mercury-free; exposed to ethylene price and to chlorine-caustic balance.
 VCM tile; indicative **Suspension PVC on the carbide (acetylene) route**

Coke and lime are fused in electric arc furnaces to calcium carbide; water gives acetylene, which reacts with HCl over a mercuric chloride catalyst to VCM, then suspension polymerisation.

Uses domestic coal, but CO2 about 3-5 times the ethylene route and mercury use under the Minamata Convention.
 VCM tile; indicative **Emulsion (paste) PVC (E-PVC)**

VCM is polymerised in emulsion to fine particles that form plastisols with plasticisers, used for coatings, leathercloth, flooring and gloves.

Specialty niche; India imposed anti-dumping duty on paste PVC imports in March 2025 (VCM tile).
 VCM tile; indicative **Chlorinated PVC (CPVC) and specialty grades**

PVC resin is further chlorinated to about 63-67% chlorine for hot-water pipes and fire sprinklers.

High value; India imports most CPVC resin (indicative).
 indicative Unit economics are indicative ranges from the sources named; costs move with feedstock and energy prices, plant size and region.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/correlation/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)