The Polystyrene Association of SA has launched a Food Compliance Responsibility Initiative (FCRI) - aimed at ensuring that world-class health and safety standards are adhered to in the South African context. Members of the Association who manufacture packaging used in food contact applications have been encouraged to sign a voluntary commitment to adhere to international health and safety standards. Polystyrene (PS) packaging is widely used by brand owners, retailers and the fast food industry to sell a wide variety of different food products. Yoghurt cups, drinking cups, ice-cream containers and fresh fruit trays, meat trays, poultry trays and convenience food boxes are all made from PS. The packaging is strong, light and stable. It increases the shelf life of food, keeping it fresh and making it easy to transport and store. “These are all excellent product qualities which have made PS the material of choice for many applications. However, as with any other packaging material, it needs to be used as intended by the manufacturers and handled correctly - especially in certain phases of its life cycle if it is to have a role in a sustainable future for society,” explains Adri Spangenberg, CEO of the Polystyrene Association of SA. Adri goes on to clarify that the driving force behind the initiative is the belief that raw material suppliers, product manufacturers, product distributors and consumers are joint stewards for the responsible and sustainable production and use of food compliant PS products. “Manufacturers are required to ensure that all raw materials included during the production process, are food grade certified. Good manufacturing practices must be displayed at all times and only in-house recyclate derived from the original food grade raw materials is allowed to be used,” she says. Support from the industry has been very positive and welcoming and the country’s biggest manufacturers of polystyrene packaging have already committed themselves to …
7.5 Tons Of Vinyl Floor Off-Cuts Collected Thanks To Industry Collaboration
Polyflor SA and Innovative Pvc Compounds (IPC), both members of the Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA), joined hands recently to ensure that 7.5 tons of vinyl floor off-cuts are collected, of which 6 tons were recycled, following an installation at the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital – a new R3bn hospital in KwaMashu that is scheduled to open its doors by December 2019. About the project The 500-bed regional hospital named in the honour of Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme, one of the first black lawyers in South Africa and a founding member of the African National Congress (ANC), is the largest hospital currently in development in South Africa. It is situated near Bridge City Mall (a new mixed-use precinct that serves as a business, commercial and transportation hub for the eThekwini Municipality) and will be amongst the largest public healthcare facilities in the country once it is completed. The new development forms part of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health Hospital Revitalisation Programme. It will provide 1.5 million people living in KwaMashu, Inanda, Ntuzuma and surrounding communities in the northern Durban catchment area with a full spectrum of medical services. The power of networking Polyflor SA, one of South Africa’s leading suppliers of vinyl sheeting and luxury vinyl tiles to the healthcare-, retail-, education- and commercial industries, was awarded the contract to supply more than 35 000 m² of vinyl sheeting at the hospital. Polyflor SA launched the country’s only official programme that recycles vinyl sheeting off-cuts generated during installations in 2016. The company’s contractors are given specially branded recycling bags in which they place the off-cuts, in order to be returned to the company’s head office in Sebenza, Johannesburg, for weighing and recording and collection by recyclers. “Upon hearing of our involvement in the project through our networking at SAVA and given the fact that it was literally taking …
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Polyflor SA Helps Refurbish Ngwelezane Hospital Paediatric Burns Unit
This past year, Polyflor SA once again partnered with the Carte Blanche Making a Difference Trust to help refurbish the paediatric facilities and services for trauma and burns patients at Ngwelezana Hospital, by donating flooring and wall protection products and services valued at close to R400 000.00. According to Tandy Coleman, CEO of Polyflor SA, this project was very dear to her team’s hearts as it cares for and treats KZN’s littlest burn and trauma victims. “Children suffering the emotional and physical trauma of burns caused by paraffin stoves, open flames or candles falling over, is a harsh reality and an occurrence that happens all too often in South Africa. Burns patients require very intense and specialised care to avoid potentially fatal infections and, in most cases, also skin grafts to repair the damaged tissue. Upon hearing of the desperate need to upgrade the paediatric facilities at Ngwelezana Hospital, we were delighted to confirm our involvement in this worthy project,” Tandy says. About Ngwelezane Hospital Situated approximately 20km from Richards Bay in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the Ngwelezana Hospital is a 554-bed facility that provides district, regional and tertiary services to densely populated communities from the King Cetshwayo, Umkhanyakude and Zululand districts. It is also the referral centre for children who have suffered burns, trauma requiring surgery and orthopaedic care. Prior to the refurbishment, all paediatric burns and trauma cases at Ngwelezane Hospital were treated in the Adult Burns Ward, which allocated 21 of its 38 beds for younger patients. Small (corporate) actions making a big difference Above and beyond the seed capital of R10.3 million contributed to the Carte Blanche Making a Difference Trust by South32 to initiate this project, Polyflor SA was one of thirty companies who generously donated material, equipment, services and advice to help realise the dream of creating a brand-new, 22-bed Paediatric …
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South African Company Wins Global Award For “Most Innovative Warehousing And Logistics Solutions Brand, 2019”
Butlers POS+ Logic, a Cape Town-based company that specializes in providing integrated Point-of-Sale logistics solutions, received global recognition in front of the greatest brands across the globe for being the “Most Innovative Warehousing & Logistics Solutions Brand” at the 7th annual Global Brands Magazine Awards held at Emperor’s Palace this past Friday evening. Each year, more than 8 000 companies from 130 countries are evaluated by the Global Brands Magazine in its quest to identify the best brands in the world. Nominations are accepted for different countries and regions before they are adjudicated by an independent, external research agency. The annual awards ceremony attracts executives of top brands from around the world who gather to receive the coveted award. This was the first time in the history of the awards that the event took place in Africa. “The Global Brands awards have become a benchmark indicator of the world’s leading brands. The aim of these public accolades is to honour excellence in performance and long-term customer satisfaction. Companies across different sectors are rewarded for performing exceptionally well in various different fields, including finance, education, hospitality, lifestyle, automobiles and technology. They create awareness about the significance of exceptional service delivery and are rewarded for rising above the rest,” said Shiva Kumar, Director of Global Brands Magazine Awards. “Receiving this public recognition in front of the world’s leading brand owners was both an exhilarating and humbling experience,” reports Johan Slabbert, Chief Executive Officer of Butlers POS+ Logic. Founded in 1997, the company focuses specifically on delivering in-store marketing to the retail environment. “When we started our business 22 years ago, we never would have imaged that we would one day share the stage with some of the world’s biggest and most recognised brands. Being singled out for developing a cutting-edge and …
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GROWTH, OPPORTUNITY AND POSSIBILITIES FOR PLASTIC PIPE INDUSTRY
The Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers’ Association (SAPPMA) - with the support of Rare Plastics, Sun Ace, Sizabantu Piping Systems, NSF International and Pipeflo - has concluded hosting its very successful PIPES XII Conference. This year’s event took place on the 27th and 28th of August at the Altron Conference Centre in Midrand and attracted more than 180 delegates, 11 local and 4 international presenters, 15 exhibitors and 9 sponsors who gathered to learn about best-practice designs and applications, share ideas and discuss the latest innovations in so far as plastic pipe manufacturing and installations are concerned. “This year’s event not only provided a platform for our own experts to present, but also drew international participation from as far afield as Germany, Austria and the Middle East. Delegates who attended represented a wide range of different ages, background and industries to include students and academics, engineers, industry representatives, local government, parastatals, pipe fittings and extrusion equipment manufacturers, raw material suppliers and consultants,” reported Jan Venter, Chief Executive Officer of SAPPMA. Setting the stage: Good news for SA Economist and scenario analyst Dr Roelof Botha, delivered an optimistic, witty and honest opening keynote address entitled: “Economic recovery beckons if the NDP is implemented” in which he unpacked the challenges and obstacles to growth, but also the exciting opportunities that await South Africa over the next 12 to 18 months. Whilst poor economic leadership over the last 10 years has left South Africa reeling and resulted in GDP losses of at least R2.5 trillion, R653 billion foregone in tax revenue of cost each South African an average of R48 thousand, Dr Botha said that it was not all doom and gloom. He shared good news of real growth reported in retail sales, mineral sales, short term insurance premiums, household and disposable income. “Every problem we have (in South …
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Polyflor launches Polysafe QuickLay PUR
Reduced downtime and less subfloor preparation with the adhesive-free, loose lay safety flooring for heavy traffic areas The Polysafe QuickLay PUR Collection is the latest offering to be launched in South Africa by Polyflor SA, specialists in vinyl flooring and wall protection solutions. Adhesive-free, easy to install and slip resistant Polysafe QuickLay is a loose lay safety flooring designed for adhesive-free installation and is the perfect solution for busy commercial environments in need of a quick turnaround and where sustainable slip resistance is a priority. According to Tandy Coleman, CEO of Polyflor SA, Polysafe QuickLay can be used as a temporary or permanent floor covering and achieves the same performance and durability as other Polysafe flooring collections, but with the added benefit of being adhesive-free. “This is a very practical choice for contractors and specifiers alike and was developed by Polyflor in response to a growing need for loose lay flooring solutions that would save installation time, eliminate the need for adhesives and make future replacement easier, yet still offer sustainable slip resistance required from a safety floor,” she says. Vinyl floors that can be installed on newly laid concrete floors When installing QuickLay, subfloor preparation is considerably reduced as it can be laid directly over a variety of existing floor coverings, including new concrete substrates of up to 97% RH. The specially studded formulated Studded Emboss works as a barrier and allows moisture to escape from the subfloor. The QuickLay system simply works by applying the specially designed QuickLay tape provided around the perimeter of the room, underneath seams and doorways, securing the flooring in place. After thermal welding the installation is suitable for immediate traffic. (As an added value offer, Polyflor is supplying 2 rolls (25 linear metres each) of QuickLay Tape free of charge with each full roll of QuickLay purchased, …
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Polystyrene Association Responds To DEA Label Of “Problem Plastic”
The Polystyrene Association of South Africa (PolySA) has responded to a statement made by the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs before the National Assembly yesterday, that polystyrene is one of the five so-called “problem plastic products” that have a short lifespan and are the biggest culprits in our environment. The other items on this list are plastic cutlery, stirrers, earbuds and straws. The Association’s Chief Executive Officer, Adri Spangenberg, said that polystyrene is so much more than just a single-use plastic, given the fact that South Africa has developed various end-markets that use recycled polystyrene with great effect. “During the 2017-2018 financial year, more than 6 300 tons of polystyrene were successfully diverted from our country’s landfills and recycled in South Africa. Considering that our recycling figures stood at 1 849 tons in 2013, we are very proud of this growth – proving that the local polystyrene recycling industry is growing and thriving,” she said. Spangenberg said recycled polystyrene is in great demand by recyclers, who use the material in the production of picture frames, cornices and stationery. “The biggest demand for polystyrene, however, has comes from the building and construction industry where recycled polystyrene is used in the production of lightweight concrete bricks and screeds. Polystyrene used in this application can be of any colour or grade, clean or slightly contaminated as it gets chopped up and mixed with a special mixture of cement and other ingredients to form lightweight concrete that is waterproof, fire resistant, offers insulation against heat and cold and it is cheaper and easier to build with than traditional bricks or concrete”. The Association acknowledges that polystyrene is one of the items frequently found in the environment, owing to the fact that it is incredibly lightweight and is therefore easily scooped up and blown away by the wind. “94 % of polystyrene is air, and …
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Launch of Umhlanga Lagoon Litter Boom – media invitation
Plastics|SA hereby cordially invites all media (in particular KZN-based media) to attend the launch of the Umhlanga Litter Boom on Saturday, 9 June 2018 in celebration of World Ocean Day. The event will begin at 09:00 with a clean-up of the Umhlanga Lagoon, followed by the boom launch at 10:00 and a shark dissection at 11:00 at the Millenium Stage on the main beach. For more information, visit the uMhlanga UIP website. CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
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SA Vinyls Association Donates PVC Beach Wheelchair
As part of their commitment to the environment and community the Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) recently donated an imported beach wheelchair, made from PVC pipes, to Cross Home Care based in the Gansbaai area, Western Cape. According to Delanie Bezuidenhout, CEO of SAVA, the wheelchair was imported from the USA and is the first of its kind in South Africa. It is made of medical grade PVC, has non-corrosive plastic bearings and high flotation heavy duty wheels, which allows the physically disabled to access the water and provides better mobility over unpaved areas. “Physically disabled people find it quite challenging to move around on the beach – never mind reaching the water. They are usually confined to the paved areas around the beach. This PVC beach wheelchair has the ability to take them all the way to the breakwater and makes it possible for them to spend a day on the beach with friends and family,” Delanie says. The balloon flotation tyres allow for stability and easy rolling. Because it is made with a high-quality UV protected PVC frame, it can even be taken right into the salty sea water. It won’t chip, peel, rust, fade or discolour and can carry a weight of 115kg. The PVC beach wheelchair was handed over to Sister Tertia Scholtz who owns Overberg based Cross Home Care, runs various community projects and offers free emergency assistance to both residents and visitors to the Pearly Beach Resort. Commenting on what the donation will mean for the local community, Sister Scholtz said: “We have many community members who are wheelchair bound. Thanks to this novel beach wheelchair, we will now be able to allow them to experience the joy of experiencing the beach and the ocean. The use of the PVC beach wheelchair will be free of charge and we would like to invite anyone who is interested in using the beach wheelchair to contact me and book the PVC beach wheelchair for themselves or a loved one, for their next beach adventure”. “PVC …
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Entries now open for SAPRO’s Recycled Plastic Product of the Year Award
South African Plastics Recycling Organisation (SAPRO) is inviting entries to this year’s Recycled Plastic Product of the Year Awards. SAPRO is proud to announce the sixth prestigious competition, with the aim of acknowledging the wide variety of products that are locally manufactured using recycled materials. History of the competition The Recycled Plastic Product of the Year Awards were held for the first time in 2010 and has been dubbed “The Oscars of the plastics recycling industry”. Each year the competition grows both in the number of entries and in the variety of different products being submitted. This biennial competition, hosted in cooperation with Plastics|SA, showcases the tremendous amount of ingenuity and creativity our local product designers have, and aims to encourage brand owners to seriously consider recycled plastics as a material of choice. Whether they are designing packaging or pallets, shoes or shopping bags, this competition has demonstrated that there is no limitation to where and how recycled plastics can be used. Previous overall winners include the City of Cape Town and MPACT Plastic Containers with their Fifty/50 Wheelie Bin (2015), Unilever with their Sunlight Dishwashing bottle (2013), Lasher Tools with their Eco-Wheelbarrow (2012), Woolworths and Polypet with their 1.5 litre juice bottle (2011) and Tufflex Materials with their innovative railway sleeper made from mixed materials (2010). Winners of this year’s competition will be announced at a gala dinner in Gauteng during Clean-Up and Recycle SA Week (11-17 September 2017). Product categories and judging criteria In order to encourage even greater participation and entries by local converters and innovators, this year’s competition will have the following five distinct product categories: Products made from 100% post-consumer recyclate Products containing a percentage post-consumer recyclate Products made from recycled mixed materials Novel and …