South African rubbish bag manufacturer Tuffy can confidently say that its rubbish bags do not go to landfills to die‚ because it can back that up.

This is according to a recent ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA)‚ which ruled that Tuffy had proven that its bags will not be “spending their life in a landfill” as suggested in a radio advertisement.

Complainant, Fransa Cole, lodged a complaint with the ASA‚ saying that Tuffy’s advertising was misleading.

The advertisement in question, which aired on Radio 702 was scripted as follows:

I used to be a yoghurt tub, but I knew I was meant for something greater.  I mean I like the low fat milk bacterial fermentation of milk as much as the next guy, but let’s face it, my plastic body was a hazard to the environment. But now, I’m something everyone can be proud of; a Tuffy black bag.  I’m made from a 100% recycled plastic and people are loving it.  Guess who’s not spending their life in a landfill – this guy.  Thanks to Tuffy black bags, the better alternative.  Tough, tougher, Tuffy.

Cole disputed the claim that Tuffy’s bags do not spend eternity in landfills because ultimately that is where the bags will end up.

“It is commendable that the plastic bag is made from recycled plastic‚ but they should not lie about the end result‚” she said.

Tuffy’s response was that Cole did not correctly understand the recycling process.

It added that its products are made from post-consumer waste‚ like soft-drink bottles and yoghurt tubs‚ physically sourced from rubbish dumps and landfills. Additionally, Tuffy’s plastic bags can be reused and recycled repeatedly.

The ASA dismissed Cole’s complaint‚ saying Tuffy had supported its claims with documentation.

“The respondent’s submissions appear to show … a concerted and large-scale operation aimed at recouping plastic content (including its bags) and recycling them for re-use,” the ASA ruled.

Source: Times Live