South Africa celebrates National Disability Rights Awareness Month annually between 3 November and 3 December each year. As part of national Disability Month, the Polystyrene Packaging Council (PSPC) is encouraging people to collect their breadtags made from high impact polystyrene.

Once enough tags have been collected, they are worth their weight in money used to buy wheelchairs for those who can’t afford it.

About the Breadtags for Wheelchairs Project

The hugely successful Breadtags for Wheelchairs project is administered by the PSPC and has already touched hundreds of lives around South Africa.

Currently in its eighth year, the project encourages people around the country to collect breadtags which are then used to “purchase” wheelchairs.

PSPC’s network of collectors

The PSPC has a network of volunteers consisting of teachers, students, churches and individuals who diligently collect breadtags in order to make a big difference in the lives of the less fortunate. During last year’s efforts alone, 330 wheelchairs were donated thanks to the success of the Breadtags for Wheelchairs project.

Why breadtags?

The plastic bread closures are made from high impact polystyrene (HIPS). Industry leaders pay for these breadtags in order to recycle them into seedling trays, cornices, skirtings, outdoor furniture, coat hangers, poles and decking.

This is far better than seeing these breadtags end up in the country’s landfills as they have a good recycling market value. Factories manufacturing polystyrene and other plastics consume less energy and natural resources when they used recycled products, resulting in a cleaner, greener and healthier environment.

How does it work?

You can collect breadtags to buy a wheelchair for yourself, a person in your community or choose a recipient from a list of people we have on our database needing a chair. Similarly, you can purchase a wheelchair from any supplier or pharmacy of your choice, or from one of our specialist wheelchair suppliers.

As mentioned earlier, the PSPC’s established a network of buyers of high impact polystyrene have agreed to pay R6.00 per kilogram for breadtags. Participants need to collect enough breadtags to cover cost of the wheelchair (i.e. divide the cost of the wheelchair by R6.00 = amount of kilograms you need to collect).

To find out more contact: Natalie@polystyrenepackaging.co.za or call (021) 531-0647