Why is recycling key to sustainable, green working environments?

Recycling plays a vital role in ensuring offices throughout South Africa are able to contribute to sustainable development in South Africa.

What role does Mpact play in the recycling arena?

Mpact Recycling, formerly Mondi Recycling, is South Africa’s largest paper recycler, with seven of its own operations in major centres around the country and 42 buy-back centres. It also supports 90 independent dealers throughout the country.

Mpact Recycling is by far the biggest paper recycler in South Africa and we recover approximately 457 000 t of paper each year nationally. While largest of theportion of the paper we collect is from industrialand commercial operations, recycling paper,carbthat comes directly from office buildings is important and a growing source of raw material for paper mills.

Why is recycling a necessity for corporate South Africa?

Recycling paper is a simple process that everyone can help with by collecting unuseditems such as cardboard, old newspapers, magazines or used printer paper.

I would encourage companies to get involved in a recycling programme and employees to support such initiatives as a way to prevent recyclable materials – particularly paper – to end up in landfill sites.

How can recycling in offices most easily be implemented?

Here are some useful “dos and don’ts” to remember when separating office recycling products, to facilitate Mpact Recycling’s processes and to contribute effectively to a sustainable office environment:

DO separate the following to be collected for paper recycling in your office:

old memos/letters

computer paper

used photocopy paper

windowless envelopes

old books

pale coloured paper (invoices, etc.)

newspapers

magazines

cardboard (flattened).

DON’T include these items in your recycling bins at work:

polystyrene or paper cups and plates

yoghurt cartons

sweet/chip wrappers

blueprint paper

organic material (such as old food and vegetables)

cigarette ends

tissues and paper towels

plastic wrapping

carbon paper

post-it notes (these are not recyclable because of the glues used to make them)

staples, plastic or steel paperclips

waxed cartons (such as frozen fish boxes).

Office collection points are perfect sources of recycled paper for our business because large groups of employees can contribute to the process and we are able to recover a lot of paper from central collection points, which is ideal.

Where to from here for recycling in general and Mpact specifically?

Mpact, which Mpact Recycling is part of, demerged from the Mondi Group and listed separately on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in July last year.

We have a long heritage of recycling, having been in the business since 1975.Recycling is integral to our business model because the raw materials for Mpact’s packaging paper business originate from the nation’s recycled paper.

Not only does recycling have long-term implications for the environment by reducing the impact on landfill sites as well as decreasing the need to import raw materials, it also creates jobs in the industry.

Sustainability is key to our business; this includes contributing to the economy of the country through job creation.. Through a social entrepreneurship empowerment model, we partner with local entrepreneurs to help collect recycled paper for us.