Vinylrecycling, a Dutch PVC recycler previously known as BessTrade, announced it filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 19.
The recycler operates two plants within walking distance of each other in Lelystad, the Netherlands. The sites have a processing capacity of 20,000 to 30,000 tonnes/year of PVC waste and produce regrind and pellets of plasticised and rigid PVC, as well as micronised powder rPVC.
Vinylrecycling is in a legal battle with the Netherlands Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) over PVC exports to third countries. Two years ago, the company shipped five containers containing PVC to Guatemala, India, and Algeria. The ILT considered the shipments to contain PVC waste, the export of which to non-OECD countries is illegal under the Basel convention. The ILT fined Vinylrecycling and imposed a ban on its exports, dampening the firm’s financial situation.
Vinylrecycling argues that the PVC it shipped was secondary raw material, not waste. It said it was made up of by-products that the company purchases and forwards to customers without processing, or material that loses its waste status due to processing at its site in Lelystad.
According to a statement on LinkedIn from Vinylrecycling’s CEO Huib Van Gulik, this November some of the company’s creditors ‘lost patience’, forcing it to file for bankruptcy before the judgement of the Dutch Council of State about its legal battle is pronounced in the next months.
As of last week, the landlord of the Lelystad site evicted Vinylrecycling from its business permits after terminating its lease.
Vinylrecycling is evaluating its options with its bankruptcy trustee, Gulik added on his LinkedIn statement, which could include restart, takeover, or permanent closure, depending on the result of the court battle.
Dutch recyclers Ioniqa and Umincorp have also filed for bankruptcy this year.