10 ways to improve your environmental situation
10 ways to improve your environmental situation
With extended producer responsibility becoming a reality and the looming possibility of the government passing legislation to enforce environmental regulations with levies, packaging manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to improve their environmental performance.
Andrew Marthinusen, director of the Packaging Council of SA (PACSA), says the SA plastics industry has achieved a lot ? but even more remains to be done. On the one hand technology has been developed, for example, to reduce the weight of containers such as 2-litre PET CSD bottles from 90 to 52g, but on the other hand the plastics sector is lagging significantly behind the national sectorial recycling rate of 40,8% – although this figure is still in line with plastic recycling rates in Europe.
Marthinusen was speaking at the recent Institute of Packaging ‘Packaging Rules’ seminar in Cape Town. The ex-Nampak marketing director, who has been running PACSA since 2006, suggests the industry develop better cooperation with the government, particularly since the National Waste Act is now law (it was passed in July).
“We need to develop new markets and end-uses for plastic recyclate, and also to recover energy from unwanted plastic waste,” he added.
He suggests companies in the plastics industry consider the following:
1.accept that there will be levies (which will not be voluntary);
2.should participate voluntarily with sector initiatives at this stage;
3.do away with ‘over packaging’ (it is difficult for bodies such as PACSA and the Plastics Federation to defend this, so it’s in your own interest);
4.engage with customers to reduce the overall amount of packaging;
5.ensure that all components of a pack are compatible for recycling (i.e. container, label and closure should be moulded in compatible materials);
6.be cautious before introducing bioplastics or biodegradable products, which can "cause chaos in the waste stream’;
7.ensure that polymer identification numbers on products are clear (PACSA may ‘name and shame’ converters who do not comply, he suggests);
8.ensure the ‘green issue’ is high on your agenda;
9.arrange for waste separation at source at your home and/or work; and
10.join in a voluntary collection, separation or recycling scheme.
“If we’re able to improve the situation, we may be able to get some of the missing Buyisa funds returned to the industry!” suggested Andrew.
Info about the environmental legislation can be found at www.gov.za