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Cape Town - Woolworths [JSE:WHL] has introduced a new on-pack recycling label (OPRL).
It is intended to assist recycling efforts by making it easier for consumers to recycle correctly, while stimulating the growth of the recycling sector.
Woolworths was motivated to develop the new recycling labels after feedback from customers revealed that the industry symbols currently used on packaging are confusing.
"To date, recycling labels across the sector have been designed to assist waste collectors and waste separators, and not customers," Woolworths said in a statement.
Further feedback showed that most customers assume that all packaging is recyclable as long as it has a material symbol on the label, which is not the case.
"The South African recycling sector doesn’t yet have the appropriate technology and infrastructure to recycle certain materials, and current labels do not share information on what is and isn’t being recycled," said Woolworths.
"In other instances, customers were not aware that despite their efforts to recycle, they were contaminating recyclable material streams through incorrect disposal."
For example, they weren’t aware that certain packaging components should be separated from the pack in order for other components to be recycled successfully.
According to the department of environmental affairs’ (DEA) National Waste Information Baseline Report released in 2012, about 108 million tonnes of waste is generated in South Africa.
Of that, only about 10% was recycled and the remaining 90% disposed at landfill.
WastePlan, a South African recycling company, reports that of the 150 000 households that participate in their recycling programme, more than 10% of recyclable material become non-recyclable due to contamination.
According to Bertie Lourens, managing director of WastePlan, they have seen many kerb-side recycling initiatives in the sector fail due to increasing transport and labour costs, which combine to make the service uneconomical.
The Woolworths on-pack recycling label was launched in November 2013 and can already be seen in-store on a select number of product lines.
Woolworths aims to have at least 20% of its products displaying the new label by March 2014.
It is intended to assist recycling efforts by making it easier for consumers to recycle correctly, while stimulating the growth of the recycling sector.
Woolworths was motivated to develop the new recycling labels after feedback from customers revealed that the industry symbols currently used on packaging are confusing.
"To date, recycling labels across the sector have been designed to assist waste collectors and waste separators, and not customers," Woolworths said in a statement.
Further feedback showed that most customers assume that all packaging is recyclable as long as it has a material symbol on the label, which is not the case.
"The South African recycling sector doesn’t yet have the appropriate technology and infrastructure to recycle certain materials, and current labels do not share information on what is and isn’t being recycled," said Woolworths.
"In other instances, customers were not aware that despite their efforts to recycle, they were contaminating recyclable material streams through incorrect disposal."
For example, they weren’t aware that certain packaging components should be separated from the pack in order for other components to be recycled successfully.
According to the department of environmental affairs’ (DEA) National Waste Information Baseline Report released in 2012, about 108 million tonnes of waste is generated in South Africa.
Of that, only about 10% was recycled and the remaining 90% disposed at landfill.
WastePlan, a South African recycling company, reports that of the 150 000 households that participate in their recycling programme, more than 10% of recyclable material become non-recyclable due to contamination.
According to Bertie Lourens, managing director of WastePlan, they have seen many kerb-side recycling initiatives in the sector fail due to increasing transport and labour costs, which combine to make the service uneconomical.
The Woolworths on-pack recycling label was launched in November 2013 and can already be seen in-store on a select number of product lines.
Woolworths aims to have at least 20% of its products displaying the new label by March 2014.
