CONSUMER’S CHOICE

Are you the problem or solution?

HEALTHY oceans mean a healthy marine economy, which SA sorely needs.

The government has made good progress in protecting its oceans and enhancing the economy that emanates from them, largely through its Operation Phakisa initiative.

In 2016, Plastics South Africa reported that 1.14 million tons of recyclable plastic had entered the waste stream, but only 41.8% was recycled – an increase of 5.9% year-on year. The South African PET Recycling Company reported that 93 235 tons of postconsumer PET bottles had been recycled. PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, is the fourth-most produced plastic in the world.

About 51% of all packaging in South Africa is collected for recycling. This could improve by educating consumers and when all municipalities implement recycling, as is happening in major metros.

Mpho Mokotso, an analyst at Avior Capital, said manufacturers of plastic could do little, if anything, to stop the shift from single-use plastic packaging once customers had decided they did not want to buy such products. “It is the customers of the manufacturers and not the manufacturers themselves that will drive the move away from single-use plastic packaging,” she said.

“It is clear that some South African companies have built up the capacity, in various degrees, to support their customers’ objectives. These initiatives, as well as increasing own paper packaging capability, are proving important to maintain a competitive advantage in a changing industry.”

Bruce Strong, CEO of Mpact, the largest recycler in the country, said there was no doubt there was a need to curb the level of single-use plastic packaging entering rivers and oceans, and as an environmentalist and fisherman he welcomed any reduction.

Mpact, which has been recycling paper for the past 50 years and plastic for the past 10 years, makes about 15% of its R10-billion revenue from single-use plastic packaging. The group collects predominantly singleuse plastics such as bags, straws, soft-drink and water bottles and most food packaging to make new products. — DDC