At Trudie Broekmann Attorneys we think consumers care not only about the quality of the product they buy, but also about the long-term result it has on the environment. The packaging we throw into the bin is a big contributor to overfull landfill sites. South Africa’s 2021 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, developed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFPE), require producers of packaging materials to take accountability for the management of their products after they’re used. What can we do as consumers to match this initiative?
We can take our cue from The Glass Recycling Company (TGRC). The EPR allows all producers to either pay EPR fees based on the volume of packaging they sell with their product or manage the discarded packaging themselves by establishing an EPR scheme for their products. The income generated by TGRC funds nationwide glass collection, including buy-back centres. This creates an income for local collectors in the informal economy. The circular and social economy reinforce each other.
Responsible consumers can vote with their wallets. Choose brands which participate in EPR schemes (they are listed below). This ensures that where the DFPE has done its part, we can do ours. This also entails that we have to keep up to date with the developments in environmental responsibility. We have to be aware of the choices we have.
It doesn’t end there. We have to participate in the whole cycle too. The convenience we have become used to can come at an unbearable price. It is getting harder to contain all of the waste which was supposed to be out of sight and out of mind. Municipal recycling collections have not arrived yet in most areas, but there is a lot we can do in the meantime:
1. It starts by understanding what waste can be recycled-
- Paper (cardboard, newspapers, magazines)
- Glass (containers – jars and bottles)
- Plastics (bags and containers – bottles)
- Metal (Food and drink cans)
- Sometimes- Tetra Packs (foil lined containers e.g. milk and juice boxes)
- Polystyrene/Styrofoam
2. Make it a part of your routine to take the trip to the hundreds of buy-back centres and recycling drop-off points nation-wide.
3. Food-stained items can’t be recycled- if appropriate, add those to your garden compost bin.
4. Clingwrap can’t be recycled, but is used all the time in packaging food at supermarkets. Next time you shop, why not pop in at the manager’s office and mention to him/her that you’d prefer to see recyclables used to package the food you purchase.
5. Batteries and e-waste (cellphones, computer parts) can be recycled, but need to be delivered to specially marked drop-off bins
6. Write to your local government councillor to encourage them to roll out recycling collection in your neighbourhood. You can find their contact details here: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/voter/Who-Is-My-Ward-Councillor.
7. Support waste pickers (the underprivileged who go through your rubbish and take out recyclables to sell) by rinsing your recyclables and separating them from your wet waste when you put out your rubbish. The waste pickers play a key role in making the EPR work and they can earn an honest buck in the process.
Please add your practical recycling tips in the comments.
Brands participating in EPR:
Adcock Ingram Healthcare, Amka Products, Anthonij Rupert Wyne, Aquasky, Ardagh Glass Packaging, Avon Justine, Beiersdorf Consumer Products, Boekenhoutskloof Winery, Brother Bees Honey, Cape Herb and Spice, A division of Libstar Operations, Cecil Vinegar Works, A division of Libstar Operations, Chill Beverages International, Coca-Cola Beverages SA, Crede Oils, De Rust Estate t/a Paul Cluver Wines, Demorgenzon, DGB, Diageo South Africa, Eagles’ Nest Wines, Edward Snell & Co, Elizabeth Arden (South Africa), Famous Brands, Ferrero Ithemba RSA, Forrester Vineyards, Fruitlips, Geffen Trading, GlaxoSmithKline SA, Global Grinders, Groot Constantia Trust, Halewood International South Africa, Heineken Beverages SA, Imbuko Wines, Indigo Brands, Isanti Glass, Iwayini Company, Johnson & Johnson, Kanonkop Wine Estate, Kingsley Beverage, La Motte Wine Estate, Lola Lee Beauty, L’avenir Wine Estate, L’Oréal South Africa, LeBonheur Wine Estate, Malinco Foods, Miles Mossop Wines, Mont Rochelle Winery, Montagu Foods a division of Libstar Operations, Neil Ellis Wines, Nestle (South Africa), New Clicks South Africa, Nomu Brands, Overhex Wines International, Peninsula Beverage Company, Peppadew International, Pernod Ricard, Pharmacare t/a Aspen Pharmacare, Pick n Pay Retailers, Pepsico, Procter & Gamble South Africa Trading, Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Revlon South Africa, RFG Foods, Rialto, a division of Libstar Operations, Rieses Food Imports t/a Liberty Foods, Robertson Winery, Roche Products, Shoprite Holdings, Signal Hill Products Africa, SkinChem, South African Breweries, Spier Farm Management t/a Spier Wines, SSS Water Concepts t/a Verve Water, Stafford Bros & Draeger, Stellenbosch Vineyards, The Oil People t/a Wilson Foods, Tiger Brands, Tokara Olives, Tokara Wines, Truman and Orange, Unilever South Africa, Warshay Investments t/a KWV, Warwick Wine Estate, Wellness Warehouse, Woolworths, Zevenwacht
By Gala Morake and Trudie Broekmann
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