# Vinyl chloride monomer: Emissions

Why coal-carbide VCM emits 6-10 t of CO2e a tonne

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/vcm/emissions/

What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 3.50 t CO2e per t range about 1.4-1.8 on the ethylene route; about 6-10 on the coal-carbide route · global average weighted about 70% ethylene route and 30% carbide route Global emissions per year 165 Mt CO2e per year 2025 · 3.5 t x about 47 Mt

Per t of VCM, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: indicative (basis: Plastics Europe PVC eco-profile about 2 t CO2e per t PVC; Chinese carbide-route LCA literature). Global total: derived (indicative).

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Feedstock 63% Production / process 32% Movement 5%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | about 2.2 t CO2e per t | 63% | ethylene cracking, chlorine electricity, and on the carbide route coal-fired carbide furnaces | carbide makes most of the carbide-route footprint | indicative |
| **Production / process** | about 1.1 t CO2e per t | 32% | fuel for EDC cracking furnaces, incineration of chlorinated residues, acetylene generation | EDC cracking alone is about 0.3 t CO2 per t VCM (indicative) | indicative |
| **Movement** | about 0.2 t CO2e per t | 5% | gas carriers and EDC tankers | small | indicative |
| **Use** | not applicable | – | VCM is polymerised | residual VCM in PVC is limited to ppm | indicative |
| **End of life** | not applicable to VCM; PVC incineration releases about 1.4 t CO2 per t PVC plus HCl | – | fate of PVC | PVC is recyclable mechanically (VinylPlus in Europe); landfilling is common | stoichiometry (indicative) |

#### Other environmental impacts

Mercury use and emissions from the carbide route; carbide slag; VCM is a carcinogen; dioxins from incinerating chlorinated residues and PVC.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Shift China's carbide capacity to ethylene or mercury-free catalysts
- Low-carbon chlorine via renewable power
- Electric or hydrogen-fired EDC cracking furnaces (indicative)
- PVC recycling to cut virgin demand

#### India

India's VCM and PVC imports from China carry the carbide-route footprint; domestic ethylene-based capacity (Reliance) is lower-carbon (indicative).
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Ethylene route with renewable-powered chlor-alkali and bio-attributed ethylene** | below 1 t CO2e per t (indicative) | not published | bio-attributed PVC sold by Inovyn and others in Europe (indicative) | indicative |

 For a climate investor The largest climate lever in this chain is China's coal-carbide PVC, which is beyond an Indian fund's reach. In India, the opportunity is new ethylene-based PVC capacity powered by renewables, PVC pipe recycling and import substitution. What has to be true: lasting trade protection or a carbon border price that values lower-carbon PVC.

## Other sections

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