Despite many claims to the contrary, the shopping bags of most SA retailers are not actually being recycled because of one additive. In spite of wording on their plastic shopping bags such as "Recycle me - set a trend" (Woolworths), "Reduce, reuse, recycle" (Pick 'n Pay & Shoprite) and "We love our country, please recycle" (Spar), these bags are not being recycled … [Read more...]
65 organizations looking for marine litter solutions
Plastic packaging is a huge contributor to marine litter. Now the plastics industry has created a Global Declaration for Solutions to Marine Litter. Packaging SA is in full support of the drive to prevent marine litter and they are the latest signatory to the Declaration. “We recognise that plastic packaging is a major contributor to marine litter and consequently feel … [Read more...]
Decade of PET recyling brings benefits across the board
Did you know that after ten years in the industry almost half of all our PET beverage bottles are now recycled? That is 1.9 billion bottles per year diverted from the waste stream. The PET Recycling Company (Pty) Ltd was registered on the 3rd November 2004 and their first set of Directors included the late Rob Rodger, Bob Naidoo, Syd Carter, Roger Thomas, Mandla Tisani, … [Read more...]
Seeking global partners for sustainable recycling
PETCO, the PET Recycling Company (Pty) Ltd, will be hosting the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisation (EPRO) for their first General Meeting to take place on African soil in Cape Town on the 20th of November. In order to maximize the opportunity to learn from each other's best practices with regards to waste management, recycling, the green … [Read more...]
Concerned retailer helps to phase out gestation crates
A major retailer in the South African market has pledged to support the abolishment of gestation crates currently used for pregnant sows in much of the local pork farming industry. A gestation crate is a metal crate usually with a bare floor, which is so narrow that the sow cannot turn around and can only stand up. Currently, pregnant sows are kept in gestation crates for … [Read more...]
Plastic recycling needs municipal support
The recycling of PET (clear) beverage bottles is a success story in our country, as yearly more impressive targets are met. This was proven recently during the review of the latest statistics for 2010 at the PETCO annual general meeting. PETCO chairman Casper Durandt (pictured, right), and CEO Cheri Scholtz shared their achievements with the Green Times: 'PETCO continued … [Read more...]
Retailers for recycling gets everyone talking
How can retailers minimize the environmental impact of their post-consumer packaging on the South African landscape? This was the question explored in Cape Town during a 'Retailers for Recycling' meeting hosted by PETCO (PET Plastic Recycling Company ), together with Woolworths and Pick `n Pay. Both Pick 'n Pay and Woolworths have made commitments to a business strategy … [Read more...]
Retailers club together to minimize waste
Retailers and recycling organisations are coming together to help curb the impact of waste products in our country. A Retailers for Recycling Forum was created by the PET Plastic Recycling Company (trading as PETCO), together with Woolworths and Pick 'n Pay. This forum will focus on minimizing the environmental impact of post-consumer packaging in our country, by using … [Read more...]
