Have your say – Draft Position Paper on biodegradable and compostable packaging

The South African Initiative to End Plastic Waste has initiated a process of developing a position paper on biodegradable and compostable packaging in South Africa.

The objectives of this paper are two-fold:
● To provide a balanced perspective and consolidated position for South Africa with regard to biodegradable and compostable packaging, based on sound research and stakeholder inputs.
● To be used to inform players across the value chain, as well as other interested stakeholders around the responsible manufacture, use, management and disposal of biodegradable and compostable packaging.

The paper focuses specifically on the country’s current capacity to responsibly integrate these materials into the existing packaging economy and looks to provide direction on what is required going forward. A supplementary document, “Material types and applications”, highlights the raw material sources, manufacturing process, properties of the polymers, range of applications and end of life fate.

The draft paper is based on a review of academic literature, relevant international standards and engagement with academics and a number of key stakeholders across the value chain, including manufacturers, importers and distributors of the materials, retailers and brand owners, recyclers and commercial composters. In addition, inputs from the Biodegradables discussion group at the recent Plastics Colloquium have been considered.

The draft paper has been approved by the members of the SA Initiative Working Group and is now open for comment from all other interested parties. The paper is available for download:

Draft Position Paper for comment

Material Types and Applications Draft for comment

Please could you forward any comments or suggestions to the Working Group at feedback@mossgroup.co.za as soon as possible.