Recycling efforts increase with Nampak, Engen

Bags of waste

"Our goal is to focus on areas where we can get the most waste absorbed as quickly as possible," says Jonathan Welch, Nampak Flexible's environmental specialist, who specialises in developing products from waste. The group has not only found a way to absorb this waste quickly, but to do it to the benefit of its clients and communities too. "With surplus waste from their own products, we have developed an ability to offer customers a unique and individualised waste product solution that they can be proud of," says Welch.

The group has recently activated a unique sorting and streaming system for all of its post-industrial waste to allow maximum recovery and reprocessing back into products through various technologies and processes. One process makes material available to NGOs where it is up-cycled into a range of products that can be produced for customers. Examples of such products include bags, bowls, collapsible bins, benches and pallets.

The group is using this technology to reprocess its own waste for reuse internally by making pallets that are currently being used in the company's warehouses as an alternative to wooden pallets.

The group sees much value in the projects and is already preventing tons of waste per month across its core operations from being thrown into landfills. "This is only the beginning, the target is to get our landfill down to zero," says Gerald Chotu, Nampak Flexible's technical director. However, the recycling of this waste is not just an environmental issue alone; there are social and economic benefits for NGOs and local communities too.

The group is currently working with two NGOs to find applications for its factory waste while simultaneously giving participating customers great exposure and a waste recycling solution. In KwaZulu-Natal, it recently initiated its BAG4LIFE project and teamed up with the Hillcrest Aids Centre. The first customer to participate in this project was Unilever; the result is highly creative, handcrafted and versatile bags that simultaneously promote some well-known brands and generate an income for those affected or infected by HIV or AIDS. This particular project creates employment for talented crafters who benefit directly from their work. "With some NGOs, much of the funds never find their way to those they are intended for, but in this case 70-80% of the purchase price goes directly to the crafter," says Welch.

The group is also looking ahead at opportunities to supply schools with injection-moulded chairs produced from post-industrial flexible waste, as it is already involved with a similar project supplying kids tables and chairs to crèches in the local KwaZulu-Natal area.

"The recycling initiatives are a great start and our company has a long-term vision of these projects as a mechanism to cope with customers' post-industrial waste, and ultimately with post-consumer waste too. All of the knowledge generated from our recycling work is also currently being shared with the MLPF (Multi-Layer Packaging Forum). Ultimately we want a cleaner and more environmentally friendly South Africa and we believe we're on the right track," concludes Robin Moore, Nampak Flexible MD.

KwaZulu-Natal ready to clean up

L - R: Brian Bergh (Engen Dealer Meadowridge), Justin Smith (Woolworths), Lona McBlain (Engen), and Prince Ncube (Nampak).

Recycling bins were introduced at eleven selected Engen service stations in KwaZulu-Natal this month, as part of the group's commitment to a safer, cleaner environment, bringing its national total to 44 participating service stations. The initiative, the result of a partnership between Engen, Woolworths and Nampak, began as a pilot project in the Western Cape in October 2009.

"After the trial period in Cape Town we identified other possible areas where the initiative could be rolled out - in Johannesburg, Pretoria and KwaZulu-Natal," says Dumisani Bengu, retail business manager of Engen sales and marketing.

"Sustainability has always been our focus. This initiative needed to have longevity and, with the help of our partners, we have been able to guarantee the successful realisation of its long-term goals. There are now eleven sites in the Western Cape, thirteen in Gauteng Central, nine in Pretoria and eleven in KwaZulu-Natal."

The project has to date collected over 350 tons of waste in the Western Cape alone.

"Once again Nampak Recycling is excited to be a partner on the recycling awareness campaign. We know the community will embrace it, and we look forward to spreading the recycling message in the Durban area," says Meshack Mosiya from Nampak.

"Woolworths is committed to helping with more effective waste management in our country," adds Justine Smith, manager of Woolworths Good Business Journey. "Every small effort counts and we want to offer our customers an opportunity to do their bit. We know that our customers want to protect the environment and we are fully committed to making it as easy and convenient as possible for them to do so."