South Africa’s vinyl industry once again stepped up this year to help support and participate in Clean-up & Recycle SA Week (12-17 September 2022). The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) and many of its members and other industry role-players not only volunteered their time and energy to participate in clean-ups around the country, but also donated much-needed resources to help keep clean-up crews safe and dry.

“PVC (or vinyl) is primarily used in building and construction products such as pipes, gutters, windows, doors and flooring. All these products have a long lifespan (50 years or more) and are therefore not often found in the environment as litter or visible pollutants. However, as an industry we want to show our commitment to working towards a cleaner, healthier world,” says Monique Holtzhausen, CEO of SAVA.

Gumboot donations

Two of South Africa’s biggest manufacturers of PVC gumboots, Neptun Boot and BBF Safety, generously donated PVC gumboots to clean-up crews who participated in river clean-ups.

Douw Steyn, sustainability director of Plastics SA, awarded the Neptun gumboots to Dr Emmanuel Sakado, project manager of the Inkwazi Isu (Fish Eagle) Project on the Durban South Coast for cleaning the Mbokodweni River at Umbogintwini on National River Clean-Up Day (15 September). Kabelo Phakoe, Plastics SA’s sustainability project coordinator, delivered the BBF Safety boots to Hennops Revival, Green ZA, Mpumalanga Provincial Department, the SoulBent Project, Live Life Always and Envirocare Thembisa.

Participation in clean-ups

SAVA members enthusiastically participated in beach and community clean-ups. Marley Pipe Systems coordinated clean-ups of children’s playparks in Duduza and Nigel (Gauteng); Continental Compounders participated in a beach clean-up at Addington Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, where they managed to fill 25 bags of litter; and Mpact Versapak  helped the Mosselbank River Conservation Team clean the Fisantekraal community in the Western Cape, where they collected 863kg of litter.

“SAVA and its members are committed to building sustainability awareness across the value chain to address sustainability challenges and develop a circular economy for the vinyls industry. We believe that actions speak loudest and are therefore proud of our industry’s active participation in this year’s collection and recycling efforts,” Holtzhausen concludes.

For more information, contact SAVA:
Tel: +27 21 531 0313
Email: CEO@savinyls.co.za
Website: www.savinyls.co.za

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