16 QUARTER 3 2017 | TAPPSA Journal

NEW INVESTMENT

Mpact, Tetra Pak and Kadant show the way with resource-efficient UBC recycling technology It’s made of 75% virgin paperboard and 25% polyethylene and aluminium (poly/al), making it a paper-based product. Yes, the ubiquitous liquid carton is something many of us use every day as we add milk to our coffee and tea, and pour a glass of juice. While liquid packaging – or used beverage cartons (UBCs) – have always been recyclable, the systems and investment to support their collection and beneficiation in South Africa has been limited.

The country currently recycles 68.4% of recoverable paper, with 80% of the 1.4 million tonnes recovered comprising paper packaging. While the recycling of UBCs began a few years ago, only 16% is recovered.

Breaking through

A R46-million investment by Mpact will boost this figure with its strong sorting and collection network and the breakthrough technology required to create value streams of high quality fibre and poly/al.

On 25 July, Mpact unveiled a liquid packaging recycling facility at its Springs mill in Ekurhuleni in the presence of Minister of Environmental Affairs Dr Edna Molewa, national and local government officials, key partners, suppliers and the media.

“Recycling is at the forefront of creating sustainable jobs and improving quality of life in communities. As such, it plays a critical role in us realising a sustainable future,” said CEO of Mpact Limited Bruce Strong.

With traditional sources of recovered paper in short supply, the technology developed by Kadant enables the mill to re-

pulp UBCs to separate high quality fibre from poly/al layers for use in its range of paper packaging products.

There is also an opportunity for the beneficiation of poly/al into products like roof tiles or even energy. “These are proven concepts elsewhere in the world, but making them work here requires support from regulators to enable entrepreneurs to get on with it.”

It is estimated that 18,000 tonnes of this fibre would produce 17,500 kilometres of 2.4-metre-wide continuous core board per year. “If it were a magic carpet, it would be enough to get you from Johannesburg to Paris, and back again,” says Howard Emmett, mill manager at Mpact.

But this is neither magic nor a fairytale; it’s the future of sustainable manufacturing. “Our Kadant recycling system supports our strong sustainability commitment,” adds Emmett.

Rudi Keller, engineering manager at Mpact Springs mill, points out that the addition of fibre from the UBC line enables the plant to run at higher speeds, saving on steam consumption and reducing starch.

Minister of Environmental Affairs Dr Edna Molewa cuts the ribbon to officially open Mpact’s liquid packaging recycling facility as deputy director-general for chemicals and waste management Mark Gordon and Mpact chairman Tony Phillips look on.

17 TAPPSA Journal | QUARTER 3 2017

NEW INVESTMENT |

Raising the recycling bar

In 2016, Mpact recovered around 560,000 tonnes of recyclable paper fibre. The group will recycle an additional 120,000 tonnes by 2018 on the back of the liquid packaging recycling plant and its recently upgraded Felixton paper mill in northern KwaZulu-Natal. This facility now uses 100% recovered fibre as raw material.

These projects and other initiatives represent the next stage in the company’s drive to increase its paper recycling rate, which will no doubt take South African paper recovery numbers to an altogether higher level.

Rodney Reynders, cluster leader: environment, for Tetra Pak’s greater Middle East and Africa operations, is upbeat about the development: “Mpact has put substantial resources behind this initiative and that means volumes more recycling capacity for post-consumer waste. It means jobs. It means economic stimulation. It means less waste to landfill. It means more valuable waste used for useful future products that further stimulate the economy.”

In her address, the Minister echoed his sentiments: “The recycling of waste remains a significant part of the manufacturing sector. We therefore need to work together towards ensuring that waste material finds its way back into the manufacturing chain to advance our commitment to the circular economy and employment creation, particularly in the green economy space.”

Boosting manufacturing

Strong said that manufacturing in South Africa is about half the size it should be for a country of its developmental status and size, and he was unequivocal in his call to government: “Achieving the goal to double manufacturing over, say, the next 10 years will require a concerted effort from all parties, starting with clear and unambiguous policy from all of government to support manufacturers.”

While Mpact wholly supports the drive to reduce waste and carbon emissions, Strong raised concern over proposed carbon and packaging taxes that would strangle the remaining life out of many manufacturers trying to protect their markets and remain competitive.

“If implemented, collection and monitoring will be so complicated and bureaucratic that the cost to business will be much more than the tax itself.”

Strong was grateful to the Minister and her department for their willingness to deal with these issues in a collaborative manner. “Through our work with government and other stakeholders, we are already making a significant contribution towards the National Development Plan’s vision to promote sustainable cities, economic growth, poverty eradication and integrated land and waste management. This is sustainable development.”

Local liquid packaging

Tetra Pak first came to South Africa in 1957, five years after establishing the company in Sweden. By 1979, it had built the Pinetown converting plant and today the facility employs 138 people who make many of the carton packs for the foods and liquids we consume every day.

Employing 23,000 people worldwide, Tetra Pak has a presence in 170 countries on six continents. The group is supported by six research and development units, 11 training centres and 48 converting factories, one of which is situated in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal. The South African plant and offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town support the business in 10 other African countries.

Tetra Pak works closely with the country’s most iconic brands, among them Clover, Parmalat, Ceres, Liqui-Fruit, Woodlands, First Choice, Woolworths and Spar, to ensure that milk and juice is packaged hygienically and arrives safely in the hands of millions of South Africans every single day.

LEFT. The breakthrough facility is expected to recycle around 25,000 tonnes of liquid packaging products, polycoated cups, popcorn boxes, used cement bags and similar wet strength sacks every year. RIGHT. Roof tiles like this are just one example of a beneficiated poly/al waste stream.

18 QUARTER 3 2017 | TAPPSA Journal

Responsible, from start to … recycling

Tetra Pak’s responsibility starts with its sourcing, where the paperboard is certified for chain-of-custody by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®). The liquid board packaging is then produced and supplied to brand owners where it is filled with milk or juice. The entire process takes place in a responsible manner, with minimal impact to the environment. “The opening of Mpact’s liquid packaging recycling plant advances its position as the pre-eminent paper and carton recycler in southern Africa,” remarked Reynders.

Once their contents are consumed, empty cartons need to be recycled. Tetra Pak identifies this as an opportunity to enhance its extended product responsibility by developing highly-engineered solutions to take its products apart for recycling.

“In this way we can fully support the principles of the circular economy – through responsible sourcing, by using renewable materials, and in recycling after use,” noted Reynders.

“No society can sustain itself without proactively tackling

the waste of any resource – be it energy, water, time, money and, of course, recyclables. Zero waste to landfill has to

be the goal.”

BRUCE STRONG, MPACT CEO

BELOW. Minister Molewa with members of the Tetra Pak team.

The event marked a celebration of many kinds: a celebration of investment, not just in one of Ekurhuleni’s manufacturing hubs, but in Gauteng and South Africa; the circular economy and extended producer responsibility in action; a celebration of technology and manufacturing, and a celebration of efforts by industry to make products more recyclable, closing the loop just a little further so that fewer tonnes go to landfill.

“With more research and capacity building, I have no doubt that the circular economy will become a reality in South Africa, as evidenced through this investment by Mpact. To Mpact and partners, I say bravo!” concluded the Minister.

NEW INVESTMENT

Cartons are recycled in more than 150 sites and paper mills globally.