Process for the manufacture of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

Process for the manufacture of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), comprising step 1): subjecting 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC) to pyrolysis in order to generate a gas mixture comprising VCM, hydrochloric acid (HCl), and EDC; step 2): quenching and/or cooling and/or condensing such gas mixture to a liquid+gas mixture; step 3): subjecting such liquid+gas mixture to a first separation step to remove substantially all the HCl from the liquid+gas mixture so as to leave a stream consisting substantially of VCM and EDC; and step 4): subjecting such VCM+EDC stream to a second separation step so as to get a stream of substantially pure VCM and a stream of unconverted EDC, wherein a heat exchanger is used to heat up the VCM+EDC stream prior to being fed to a distillation column in step 4), such heat exchanger being powered by a stream of hot fluid available in any one of steps 2) to 4) of the process.