FEATURE: PRASA News
PRASA sets it’s sights on a 60% paper recovery rate in 2009
PRASA is proud to announce a 58.7% paper recovery rate for 2008. PRASA represents 95% of the paper recycling companies in South Africa, who have invested around R600m on infrastructure and who together employ more than 20,000 people, directly and indirectly.
This increased recovery rate translates to the industry’s bottom line and at the same time reduces our carbon footprint. I attribute this success to the commitment of PRASA members and our education and awareness programme, which we have been able to implement as a result of the financial backing of FIETA (Forest Industries Education and Training Authority).
PRASA exhibited at a show in Johannesburg for the first time during June and it was very rewarding to see a public impressed by the cradle to cradle approach to paper which the partnership with FIETA signifies. This partnership is yet another illustration of the paper industry’s ongoing commitment to extended producer responsibility, way ahead of government’s plan to impose or enforce it.
Further, we are seeing a steady change in consumer thinking and behaviour. Emails from the public wanting to know how to recycle paper, where to take it to and so on, indicate that our message is getting across.
We are fully aware that South Africa is caught up in the global downturn. With some paper mills having to take commercial downtime, PRASA is mindful of reduced consumer spending which will impact on the amount of paper available for recovery. We are seeing a decline in the demand for K4 and recovered newspaper and it remains a challenge for us to continue buying these grades back when we needn’t do so.
However we remain optimistic that the industry can achieve a 60% recovery rate in 2009 and hopefully match the European recovery rate of 64% when there is an upturn in the economy.
Yours in recycling
Ursula Henneberry
New recovery chain database
PRASA is populating a database with details of everyone in the paper recovery chain.
PRASA invites transporters, convertors, collectors, street harvesters, buy back centres, schools, entrepreneurs, business and householders who recycle paper to register with PRASA at no charge. This will give the association a grip on where the recyclers are, how many there are, accurate employment and infrastructure investment figures. There will also be potential to promote paper recycling businesses by referring enquiries from the public to them.
In the future PRASA hopes to initiate networking mechanisms and conduct training courses for people on the database.
Please email Ursula Henneberry@pamsa.co.za with your full details to have them included on this database.
