MechChem Africa September 2018

⎪ Environmental management and cleaning technologies ⎪

SA hits new recycling high: 2.15-billion bottles

D espite tough trading conditions and a 13% fall in the total PET market, the South African plastic industry recycled a record 2.15-billion PET plastic bottles in 2017, setting a postconsumer re- cycling rate of 65% to put the country on par with international standards. The 93 235 t of collected PET exceeded the industry target of 58% for the year 2017 and created 64 000 income-generating op- portunities for waste pickers, collectors and recyclers, saving 578 000 m³ of landfill space and 139 000 t of carbon in the process. This was announced recently by national industry body, PETCO, which is responsible for fulfilling the sector’smandate of extended producer responsibility (EPR). PETCOsaid the 3%year-on-year increase in tonnage (versus 90 749 t in 2016) was par- ticularly significant against the backdrop of the political and economic instability, volatile exchange rates and industrial strike action, whichhadaffectedsomeofthemajorindustry players in 2017. According to the organisation, water shortages in theWesternCapehadseenan in- creased consumer demand for bottled water during the latter part of the year, which grew

the waste volumes available for recycling in this region. PETCO chief executive officer Cheri Scholtz said theorganisationwas thrilledwith the latest figures, which demonstrated both the industry’s commitment to recycling and the economic value of postconsumer PET in the circular economy. “Through the remarkable network of people, companies andorganisationswework with, 5.9-million PET bottles were collected for recycling across South Africa every day during the courseof 2017, creating thousands of income-generating opportunities for small andmicro-collectors, changing their lives and those of their families in immeasurableways.” Scholtz said PETCO members paid a voluntary recycling fee on every tonne of raw material purchased, which funded their efforts and supported a sustainable recycling industry. Since the organisation’s incorpora- tion in 2004, a total of R2.3-billion has been paidbycontractedrecyclersandcollectorsfor baled bottles, with a total of 609 306 t of PET recycled to date. This has saved more than 900000 t of carbon and almost 4.0-millionm³ of landfill space. PETCO chairman Casper Durandt, who is

PETCO latest recycling figures demonstrate the economic value of postconsumer PET in the circular economy. also head of technical for Coca-Cola’s South African franchise, said the organisation’s ac- complishment could not have been achieved without its dedicated partners. “They have made extraordinary contributions to the recycling of post-consumer PET in South Africa, therebyenablingPETCOtoexpandour collectionnetwork,buildrelationshipswithre- cyclers,seeknewopportunitiestodevelopand support entrepreneurs, and, ultimately, grow ourrecyclingtonnages,”Durandtconcludes. q

September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 33