THE Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA), supported by members of the Global Vinyls Council (GVC), has rejected the Phase 1 list of “problematic and unnecessary plastics” published recently by the SA Plastics Pact.
This list advocates for these plastics in packaging to be phased out by members by the end of 2022 as part of ongoing work towards the fulfilment of its Roadmap to 2025.
Amongst this list of 12 items, the Plastics Pact has listed PVC rigid packaging (including bottles, except for medicine packaging), pallet shrink wrap and labels, stating that “PVC has a very low recycling rate due to the small market size and there are environmental concerns in its production and end of life, as well as the additives included in PVC materials”.
“Although we are a signatory of the SA Plastics Pact, SAVA rejects and opposes the inclusion of PVC packaging in the strongest possible terms. Our latest recycling figures clearly show that there is a strong demand for PVC recyclate in South Africa. During the 2020 reporting period, a total amount of 21 433 tons of PVC were recycled in our country, of which 13 440 tons were flexible (PVC-P) and 7 992 tons were rigid (PVC-U). PVC was the only polymer to have recorded a year-on-year increase of 9.5 % despite very difficult trading conditions such as global raw material shortages and supply chain issues, high material costs, interrupted electricity supply due to load shedding and the ravaging effects of Covid-19. The recent global shortage in raw materials and high polymer prices has driven the demand for recyclate even further,” says Monique Holtzhausen, CEO of SAVA.
PVC is an intrinsically low-carbon plastic: 57% of its molecular weight is chlorine derived from common salt; 5% is hydrogen; and 38% is carbon.
It is extremely durable and cost efficient and it can be recycled several times at the end of its life without losing its essential properties. Using it as packaging can help preserve and conserve food by guaranteeing a longer shelf-life, improving food safety, reducing bacterial proliferation and protecting against external contamination.
For this reason, the global PVC community has also rejected the Plastics Pact’s list which is influenced by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, warning that it could pose risks to the public by eliminating certain types of packaging.
- For more information, visit www.savinyls.co.za
