Founded in 1988 by a group of industry leaders, the PVC Geomembrane Institute has been dedicated to advancing the use of PVC Geomembranes for nearly two decades. Its mission is to advance the use of PVC Geomembranes through education and research. The organization and its membership accomplish this by aiding engineers in specifying PVC for environmental applications including (but not limited to) landfills, industrial waste ponds, canals, mining and wetland treatment containment.

PGI membership spans all aspects of the PVC Geomembrane industry including manufacturers, fabricators and installers of the material. The organization was incorporated in the State of Michigan and operates under the direction of a volunteer Board of Directors led by President Stuart Lange of Lange Containment. Other current board members include Treasurer Tom Letourneau of Canadian General Tower  and Secretary John Heap of Colorado Lining International.

In 1998 the PGI underwent a reorganization that ended in a partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The partnership lead to the formation of the PGI Technology Program (PGI-TP) lead by Professor Timothy Stark with the Civil Engineering program at the university. Dr. David E. Daniel and Dr. Krishna R. Reddy serve as co-directors of the program. Since 1998, PGI's main office now resides at UIUC where PVC research is conducted and written up for publication on a regular basis. The main objectives of the program to date are to conduct research and disseminate technical information about PVC Geomembranes as well as to provide technical information and assistance to engineers and specifiers as needed. The Technology Program is now the vehicle by which the PGI serves as an information clearinghouse for information regarding PVC Geomembranes.

For nearly two decades the PGI has been an industry resource for PVC Geomembrane users. The PGI-TP and partnership with UIUC allows the resources of the industry and academia to further improve the practical aspects of PVC Geomembranes in both geosynthetic and civil engineering applications.