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By Anele Sololo, general manager, RecyclePaperZA: the paper recycling association of South Africa The December holidays are around the corner. With early festive shopping sprees and online shopping deliveries, you might find yourself with more paper packaging than you know what to do with. For many of us, the December break is a time to […]

With the increased global push for environmentally friendly and sustainable paper-based packaging solutions, Sappi has made great strides in developing breakthrough proprietary barrier technology to offer new opportunities to satisfy this need. These unique solutions enabled Sappi to closely collaborate with the world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestlé to support the launch of the YES! snack […]

JOHANNESBURG, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 – In 2018, South Africa recovered 1.285 million tonnes of recyclable paper products, putting the country’s paper recovery rate at 71.7%. This is according to Anele Sololo, general manager of the country’s paper recycling association, RecyclePaperZA, who adds that this rate is well above the global average of 59.3%. If baled, […]

Johannesburg, 10 September 2019: South Africans have heard the “please recycle” message time and time again. However, with National Recycling Day around the corner, it is a crucial opportunity for citizens to truly reflect on their waste habits and become more conscious of the impact of waste that is so often thrown away on a […]

By Elitha van der SandtCEO of the South African Book Development Council During our preparations for the 2019 edition of South African Book Fair, Stats SA released its General Household Survey (GHS) 2017. The results of the survey showed the alarming statistics that nearly half (47,6%) of children never read a book or drew (44,7%) […]

Forest Products Association of Canada President and CEO Derek Nighbor Elected ICFPA President The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) has announced that Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), has been elected its new President. “It is an honour to be chosen by colleagues from around the […]

The results of a new survey commissioned by Two Sides reveal a telling insight into the public’s perceptions and attitudes towards print and paper. Carried out by independent research company Toluna, 6,000 consumers from across Europe (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, Norway and Sweden and the UK) were surveyed on their environmental concerns and preferences […]

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.” I recently drew cash at an ATM and was greeted with an on-screen message: “If everyone said no to a receipt just for one month, we would save 45 trees.” This is a classic example of greenwashing: making unsubstantiated or misleading claims about the […]

FORESTRY SOUTH AFRICA EDITORIAL South African forestry research claims fame in the international  Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Award The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) announced three global winners of the 2018-2019 Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Award. Among them was Martin Wierzbicki, an MSc graduate from University of Pretoria […]

Industry leaders endorse new sustainability commitments May 17, 2019 – The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) launched its 2019 Sustainability Progress Report and issued its Global CEO Leadership Statement 2.0, which includes seven key areas that the forestry and forest products sector will collectively tackle for a more sustainable world. Industry leaders […]

Submitted by: The Two Sides Team April 26, 2019 We take a microscopic look at the sustainable and recyclable material derived from wood pulp that could replace plastic packaging. There’s little doubt that single-use plastics are now high on the list of concerns for  governments, businesses and individuals alike. The level of media attention coupled with disturbing […]

Submitted by: The Two Sides Team April 25, 2019 The Navigator Company and National Geographic have taken an important step towards protecting the environment by replacing the plastic bags used to encase their magazines with sustainable paper envelopes. Around 150,000 plastic bags were used per year but as of this month this is set to change. For […]

Recycling. A word that either fills you with delight or dread. Perhaps you’ve tried recycling in your classroom or at your school but couldn’t an effective collection system going. Maybe you’re hooked and love to see how little waste from your lessons is going to landfill. Or maybe you’re trying but you’re not getting the […]

OPINION PIECE Jane Molony President of the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations Forest products matter – every day in every way International Day of the Forests – 21 March One does not think about roof trusses above our heads or a table in our home, but we would notice if they were missing […]

THINK BEFORE YOU THROW AND CHANGE YOUR RUBBISH TO RECYCLING RATIO ​Johannesburg – March 15, 2019 – Take a moment to count how many rubbish bins you have in your home? What about recycling bins? Think about how much refuse goes out with the weekly municipal collection and how much you are diverting from landfill […]

The Waste Act The National Environmental Management; Waste Act, No 59 of 2008 came into effect on 1 July 2009. The main objectives of the Waste Act are as follows: The National Environmental Management; Waste Act, No 59 of 2008 came into effect on 1 July 2009. The main objectives of the Waste Act are […]

JOHANNESBURG — Forestry South Africa (FSA) has launched the Forestry Explained recreational map detailing the activities and attractions that are found on forestry-owned land and open to the public. Treasures within the trees Around 30% of forestry-owned land is unplanted and a large proportion is set aside for dedicated conservation. These include vast swaths of grasslands, riverine […]

“Through its active involvement each year, the plastics and packaging industry has proven that its concern for marine litter is not just an awareness project, but a driving passion that transforms actions into words” The results of the 2018 International Coastal Clean-up, which took place on Saturday, 15 September 2018, have just been released. “For […]

Nearly 1,3 million tonnes of paper was collected for recycling in 2017. This amount of paper would fill 1,539 Olympic-sized swimming pools and saves 3.9 million cubic metres of landfill space. However, only 13% of South African households recycle regularly, according to Statistics SA. Drive around your neighbourhood on rubbish collection day, not only will […]

Sappi Typek launches new brand campaign –  live a life of note Typek, the A4 paper that is used by many businesses, launched a new consumer campaign. One that will make you sit up and take note. The ‘Live a Life of Note’ campaign, a fresh media campaign aimed at everyone who has come to […]

The Paper Recycling Association of South Africa (PRASA), the 15-year-old paper recycling arm of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA), has a new name and identity: RecyclePaperZA. “For the past few years, members of the public have increasingly confused us with the state-owned enterprise, PRASA,” explains PAMSA executive director Jane Molony. “We have […]

Uniting to stop waste at Montecasino for National Recycle Week“You can’t change the world; you can’t fix the whole environment. But you can recycle.” Patti Smith, musician.Tsogo Sun and Montecasino, in partnership with Miss Earth South Africa, hosted a Waste Dialogue at the Montecasino Recycling Depot on Thursday, 13 September during Clean-up and Recycle SA […]

The Waste Act The National Environmental Management; Waste Act, No 59 of 2008 came into effect on 1 July 2009. The main objectives of the Waste Act are as follows: The National Environmental Management; Waste Act, No 59 of 2008 came into effect on 1 July 2009. The main objectives of the Waste Act are […]

The Waste Act The National Environmental Management; Waste Act, No 59 of 2008 came into effect on 1 July 2009. The main objectives of the Waste Act are as follows: The National Environmental Management; Waste Act, No 59 of 2008 came into effect on 1 July 2009. The main objectives of the Waste Act are […]

On Tuesday 4 September, the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) and Mpact Recycling hosted a group of journalists at the Mpact Paper Springs mill, taking them on a tour of the mill. This gave them an opportunity to see the ins and outs of the paper recycling process.  Speaking at the event, John […]

“This is not a scientific study, nor is it a popularity contest; it is purely a ranking put together by the editorial team after speaking to a lot of pulp and paper industry experts from around the world,” states Risi, adding that, as in the past, they’ve chosen to concentrate on leaders from the manufacturing […]

The Department of Environmental Affairs is proposing new regulations which will require transporters of waste to register with them. Click here for the full document: Proposed Amendments to the National Waste Information Regulations, 2012 Please note, this document is open for comment until 5 August 2018: By post to:The Director-GeneralDepartment of Environmental AffairsAttention: Mr Anben PillayPrivate Bag X447Pretoria0001 […]

Mpact Recycling and Tetra Pak SA call on South Africans to help give long-life milk and juice cartons a new life Johannesburg, 29 May 2018: While Mpact Recycling and Tetra Pak SA have been campaigning for a year to get South African consumers and companies involved in recycling liquid packaging cartons, many people remain unaware […]

PRASA shares the ‘golden rules’ for paper recycling. The Paper Recycling Association of South Africa (PRASA) calls on all South Africans – from schoolchildren to pensioners – to do their bit by recycling paper products at school, home and work for drop-off at local recycling depots or gathering by collectors who earn a living by […]

Celebrate forests. Celebrate the things that come from them. March 21 marks the International Day of Forests with 2018 focusing on Forests and Sustainable Cities. Trees in urban areas, natural forests and plantations, store carbon and release oxygen which helps mitigate the impacts of climate change. They also filter and regulate water, protect wetlands and […]

How separating your waste makes a difference to lives and landfill Is waste paper really ‘waste’ if it has a value? It’s a question that the Paper Recycling Association of South Africa (PRASA) often poses. The answer is no. “When we separate our recyclables from general rubbish, we will soon discover that there is treasure […]

Highlights 1,3 million tonnes of paper products, cardboard boxes and liquid cartons diverted from landfill in 2017. Increased rates driven by industry investment for local beneficiation in mills. Informal collectors and partnerships with municipalities are also key drivers in recycling. Sector challenges the need for paper and paper packaging industry tax – prefers route of […]