The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) – the non-profit association representing the local vinyls industry – celebrated World Environment Day by awarding certificates of compliance and its new “Green Tick” product label to fourteen members who successfully completed and submitted their annual Product Stewardship Commitment (PSC) Survey for 2022.

“The global message of this year’s World Environment Day is that we only have one earth. Every individual and every industry must take ownership of its own waste. Today, we want to reiterate the local vinyls industry’s commitment to keep our environmental footprint as small as possible. We will continue our efforts to tread gently on Mother Earth by working carefully with our natural resources and protecting human and environmental health,” said Monique Holtzhausen, CEO of SAVA, during the virtual ceremony held on Friday, 3 June 2022.

Product stewardship remains SAVA’s key focus

SAVA’s Product Stewardship Commitment is based on international health and safety standards and best practice models. It consists of a series of achievable commitments which are aimed at addressing the vinyl industry’s environmental issues and forms the cornerstone of the Association’s focus and activities. The PSC is organised into four focus areas, namely: sustainable manufacturing, the sustainable use of additives, closed-loop management and sustainability awareness.

Members are required to complete an annual PSC survey and voluntarily renew their commitment to these standards. Once the SAVA Executive is satisfied with their responses, they are rewarded the SAVA product label which they can display on their products and marketing material as proof that their PVC products are safe, responsible and sustainable.

Introducing SAVA’s new “Green Tick”

In response to member and market feedback requesting a product label that is easier to understand and use, SAVA announced that it changed its old Vinyl-dot product label to a new “Green Tick”. This new product label was also officially launched and awarded to members during the virtual meeting.

“There are a myriad of positive ideas and messages that are associated with green ticks. In general terms, it is used to communicate that a task has been successfully completed, that you’re dealing with a legitimate business or that you have passed a test and received high accolades. In SAVA’s context, we want this “all is good” symbol to also communicate to end markets the message of sustainability, certification of goods and services based on an independent, full life cycle assessment of conventionally produced goods from “cradle to grave”,” Monique clarified.

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Captains of industry receive Certificates of Compliance

The following member companies were awarded their Certificates of Compliance and the right to display SAVA’s Green Tick:

AECI Specialty ChemicalsAlpha PlastBrenntag SACibapacContinental CompoundersElco PlasticsInnovative PVC CompoundsIsegen SAMarley Pipe SystemsMPACT VersapakOmya-Idwala SAPolyflor SASasol PolymersStrand Group Developments (Pty) LtdSun Ace SA

“Congratulations to each company who was awarded the certificate and Green Tick for 2022/2023. We urge brand owners and retailers to support these member companies who are committed to high manufacturing standards and protocols in order to ensure the health and safety of their own workers, as well as of end-users. At the same time, they are actively working with us to improve our industry’s sustainability successes by investing in recycling and closed-loop management. We encourage other role-players in the vinyls industry to follow their example by joining SAVA and helping us keep the name and reputation of our industry above reproach,” Monique concludes.