Green Economy Journal Issue 41

PAPER
Packaging has power and requires
collaborative responsibility
Paper is one of the oldest technologies in the world, and the way it’s sourced and made has come a
long way. Still, many companies worry about paper, about printing on it or using it for packaging.
These worries emanate from deeply rooted myths that paper is
bad for the environment. However, paper is one of the most
sustainable materials, says Francois Marais, manager of Fibre
Circle, the paper sector’s producer responsibility organisation (PRO),
which manages extended producer responsibility (EPR) programmes
on behalf of the sector.
“Forestry companies, as well as the downstream value chain of wood and
paper-based products, subscribe to certification organisations to ensure
that the paper is sourced and produced in a responsible and balanced
manner, and that its end-of-life is appropriately managed,” he adds.
EPR, a relatively new concept, describes the lifecycle of products and
packaging manufactured, sold and distributed by producers, importers,
brand-owners and retailers, collectively referred to as “obliged industries”.
The idea is the brainchild of Thomas Lindhqvist of Sweden’s Lund
University, whose 1990 research sought to determine how recycling and
waste management were driving cleaner production policies. According
to Lindhqvist, EPR makes the manufacturer of the product responsible for
the entire lifecycle of the product and especially for its take-back, recycling
and final disposal.
EPR dictates that the costs of collection, processing and recycling are
placed on the obliged industries, with one of the objectives being to
encourage them to design products for better recovery and recycling.
Making the circle bigger
Fibre Circle aims to bring together players in the paper and packaging
value chain, including obliged industries and brand owners and retailers.
To this end, Fibre Circle has mapped out key groups of products and has
been engaging producers and importers of:
• Printing and writing grades
• Paper packaging and packaging paper for conversion
• Paper sacks or sack kraft
• Liquid board packaging for beverage and food cartons, including
paper cups
• Labels and release liner/backing paper
The ultimate renewable
While many paper products are classified as single-use, most are
recoverable for recycling, and all are renewable.
South Africa boasts a recovery rate of around 70% of recoverable paper
products, which excludes tissue, sanitary products and items like books.
More than 53% of locally-made paper products contain recycled content.
Recyclability requires value
Cardboard and cartons make up the largest proportion of recovered paper
because they are easy to collect and recycle.
Office paper, a high-value commodity due to virgin fibre content, can be
difficult to collect if offices and homes don’t separate at source, while label
backing paper or release liners are difficult to recycle due to the siliconised
laminate but relatively easy to collect due to large, pre-consumer volumes
at factories.
Paper cups and beverage cartons are recyclable, but not easy to recover.
“When a recyclable is difficult to collect, its value to a waste collector is
low,” says Marais. “One paper cup isn’t worth the effort for a collector; one
tonne of paper cups from one location every week is a different story.”
Fill your cup with Fibre Circle
To address this, Fibre Circle has been working on a prototype coffee cup
collection bin. Resembling a giant takeaway coffee cup, it comprises three
compartments – for liquids, high-density polystyrene lids, and cups, and is
ideal for office buildings and high-traffic areas.
Fibre Circle aims to roll out more of these initiatives as its membership
grows. “The sector needs practical solutions that prevent usable paper fibre
from going to landfill while ensuring it’s turned into value,” says Marais.
Beyond compliance, fostering stewardship
In response to the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries’ call
for an EPR framework in line with Section 18 of the National Environmental
Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008, industry bodies representing the
paper, paper packaging and other waste streams had been consulting
with Government before the Covid-19 lockdown. “All indications are that
EPR will become mandatory in the near future,” says Marais.
“By paying their dues, paper manufacturers, importers and brand
owners can extend responsibility beyond their own gates and their
customers’ hands, diverting material from landfill, training more people
and creating more jobs – something that our country desperately needs,”
Marais concludes.
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