"PVC regrind" is not one product. A UK buyer searching for it will be offered rigid window-profile regrind, flexible cable compound, ground pipe, calendered sheet offcuts and pulverised powder — all under the same two words, at prices that can differ by a factor of ten. Buying well starts with knowing which one you actually need and how to tell them apart. This guide is for UK buyers sourcing recycled and reprocessed PVC for extrusion, moulding, compounding or further recycling.
What types of PVC regrind are available in the UK?
PVC divides first into rigid (PVC-U, unplasticised) and flexible (plasticised), and then by source. The materials you will actually be quoted:
- Rigid regrind (PVC-U) — from window profile, pipe, sheet and fittings. Ground offcuts and rejects, usually single-polymer, often single-colour (white or grey). The workhorse of UK PVC recycling.
- Flexible regrind — plasticised PVC from hose, flooring, membrane and moulded parts. Softer, and defined as much by its plasticiser and Shore hardness as by being PVC.
- Cable regrind — PVC stripped from cable insulation and sheathing. Can carry fillers, flame retardants and residual metals; verification matters most here, and it is priced accordingly.
- Pipe and profile lumps — larger unground material from pipe and extrusion production, sold to be ground by the buyer. Cheapest form, most work.
- Pulverised PVC / powder — regrind milled to a fine particle size for dry blending and compounding.
Prime Polymers lists live PVC across these types from UK and international sellers. You can see the current board, with grade, quantity, location and asking price on each, at the marketplace.
How is PVC regrind priced in the UK?
There is no single price for PVC regrind, and any figure quoted in isolation is close to meaningless. Price is driven by:
- Rigid vs flexible — different base materials with different demand.
- Source and cleanliness — clean single-source rigid regrind commands far more than mixed or contaminated cable scrap.
- Colour — natural, white and single-colour material is worth more than mixed colour.
- Particle size and form — ready-to-use pulverised powder sits above coarse regrind, which sits above unground lumps.
- Quantity and incoterm — a full-truck-load EXW price is not a small-parcel delivered price.
Because these move independently and change with the market, the honest answer to "what does PVC regrind cost" is: price it against live offers on the day. The Prime Polymers board shows each seller's current asking price per tonne next to the grade and location, so you can compare like with like rather than work from a remembered figure.
What is the minimum order quantity for PVC regrind?
For bulk recycled PVC in the UK and Europe, the practical unit is the full truck load — commonly around 24 tonnes for a standard FTL. Many sellers set their minimum order at one FTL because part-loads carry disproportionate freight cost. Smaller quantities exist, especially for trials and specialist grades, but expect a higher price per tonne. Larger single lots — hundreds of tonnes of one grade — do trade, and are usually sold on CFR or delivered terms rather than ex-works.
What should I check before buying PVC regrind?
The label tells you little; the detail tells you everything. Before committing:
- Confirm rigid vs flexible, and for flexible, the Shore hardness and plasticiser type.
- Establish the source — window profile, pipe, cable, sheet — and whether it is single-source or mixed.
- Ask for particle size, colour and contamination control, and a sample for anything you will run in volume.
- For cable and mixed material, ask specifically about fillers, flame retardants and residual metal content.
- Pin down quantity, price, incoterm and location in writing before the material moves.
Our guide to polymer grades explains the difference between regrind, off-spec and recycled in detail, and our guide to sourcing polymers on a marketplace covers incoterms, payment and counterparty checks.
Where can I buy PVC regrind in the UK?
PVC regrind is sold through specialist recyclers, brokers and B2B marketplaces. A marketplace lets you compare several sellers' live material side by side rather than ring round for quotes. On Prime Polymers, a free account shows every PVC listing in full — photos, tonnage, location and documents — and membership unlocks direct messaging to negotiate with the seller. The operator, ARC Polymers Ltd, is a UK polymer trading company.
Frequently asked questions
- What is PVC regrind?
- PVC regrind is PVC material that has been mechanically ground for reprocessing — from window profile, pipe, sheet, cable or moulded parts. It has been through at least one heat history and is priced below virgin PVC, with the exact value depending on whether it is rigid or flexible, its source, cleanliness, colour and particle size.
- What is the difference between rigid and flexible PVC regrind?
- Rigid PVC regrind (PVC-U) comes from unplasticised products like window profile and pipe and is hard and dimensionally stable. Flexible PVC regrind is plasticised — from hose, flooring, cable and membrane — and is defined by its plasticiser and Shore hardness as well as being PVC. They are different materials with different uses and different prices.
- How much does PVC regrind cost in the UK?
- There is no single price. It varies widely with rigid vs flexible, source and cleanliness, colour, particle size, quantity and incoterm. Rather than work from a fixed figure, price against live offers — the Prime Polymers board shows each seller's current asking price per tonne alongside the grade and location.
- What is the minimum order for PVC regrind?
- For bulk material the practical minimum is usually a full truck load, commonly around 24 tonnes. Smaller quantities are available for trials and specialist grades but at a higher price per tonne.
- Is cable PVC regrind different from other PVC regrind?
- Yes. Cable PVC can carry fillers, flame retardants and residual metal from the conductor, so it needs more verification than clean rigid regrind and is priced accordingly. Always ask about contamination and, for volume, take a sample.