The RPMASA ASKS -

Are YOU using the correct  SPECIFICATION PACKAGING for YOUR products?

Are YOU aware of the CARBON BENEFITS of take-back, collection, reprocess and RE-USE of INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING?

Are YOU aware that that collection, REPROCESS & RE-USE is GLOBAL BEST PRACTICE and that the RPMASA has a seat on the UN COMMITTEE of EXPERTS for Transport of Dangerous Goods and GHS, and NETWORKS with the Major International Packaging and Reprocessing Associations to bring BEST PRACTICE to SOUTH AFRICA?

ARE you  AWARE of the  "HAPPY DRUM" initiative? Please lend YOUR SUPPORT

Industrial Packaging is designed and manufactured to specifications for the different risk classes of Industrial products to be safe and secure in transport and use worldwide. ALL packaging to be used for dangerous substances or products i.e. with UN numbers must be performance tested by the national competent body as per the UN Model regulations and be permanently marked with the manufacturers specific certification markings confirming specification, date and factory of manufacture. Similarly reprocessed packaging should be the correct specification for use, be tested and bear in addition the reprocessors registration mark.

The SANS 10406 Audit and registration scheme for packaging reprocessors is about to start in South Africa to uplift our Reprocessors and bring us into line with international as well as national legislation and best practice, ref SANS 10229 and 10406 - contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit the web www.rpmasa.org.za for more information.

Use of the correct specification is vital to reduce risks to people and the environment during handling, storage and transport of products as well as to contribute to sustainable use of resources and reduced carbon footprint.

Industrial Packaging provides great benefits to the environment not only in ensuring pollution prevention but also through correct specification and strength for product type gives the benefits of enabling repeated reuse of steel, plastic and composite packaging.

Although not widely known to the general public, there exists a world-wide network of specialist companies who recover used Industrial Packaging from their national customer base - the end-users of the packaging. The international organisation for such companies is The International Confederation of Container Reconditioners (ICCR) - for more details see the European Reconditioners Association (SERRED) Website http://www.serred.org/icdr.html

Manufacturers and Reprocessors / reconditioners now work together in most parts of the world to ensure that industrial packaging is made and reprocessed to work safely and efficiently with the highest environmental care. This working together is progressed in Europe through the work of the joint European Industrial Packaging Association (EIPA) at various international standards and regulatory meetings.

This international network of organisations recover used industrial packaging from a very wide base of end-users including the Food, Pharmaceuticals, Oils and Specialty Chemicals industries. The packagings are individually inspected to check the packaging type and residual content before segregation, cleaning and multi-option recycling processes.

The cleaned packaging can then be checked to determine the most environmentally (and economically) efficient route i.e.:

1. Reprocessing, reconditioning, refurbishing for re-use as a complete maintained package by third party.

2. Recycling of materials following cleaning and destruction of the package.

3. Recovery of the calorific energy from the packaging materials.

The above options ensure the very highest environmental efficiency is maintained through the collection of used packaging by the professional reprocessing community.

The Reprocessing or reconditioning process will ensure used packaging can have multiple `lives' through repeated cycles of re-use, with typically in excess of 5 trips being possible for individual packagings depending on design and product type. Each cycle results in considerable savings of resources and energy over manufacture of new each time. Such savings translate into considerable cost savings at a time when fuel, energy and manufacturing costs are soaring. Care taken to purchase the correct specification package, results in both savings as well as reduced risk and liability.

Reprocessing, inspection and testing of used packaging provides for significant savings of our precious natural resources and energy, fuel, emissions and transport costs over destructive recycling or transport to waste disposal.

The biggest threat to the reprocessing market in South Africa is purchase of incorrect specification packaging hence unnecessary waste, and the direct scrap for recycle of perfectly good, re-useable drums and IBCs, which is wasteful, increases resource and energy use and carbon footprint to the detriment of our environment.

For more information contact the RPMASA.

March 2008

www.rpmasa.org.za or 032 942 8256

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