SOUTH AFRICA – Mpact Versapak, the food packaging production division of Mpact Operations, has elected to participate in Petco’s recycling initiatives for PET packaging.

Mpact Versapak offers a wide range of branded packaging, including PET trays for both the local and international fast moving consumer goods, fast food, fresh food, beverage and agricultural sectors.

By signing with Petco, Mpact Versapak will contribute by paying a voluntary PET fee to Petco, based on domestic PET product sales as part of its commitment in providing solutions to post-consumer waste.

The move seeks to ensure that the company remains compliant with the government’s call to companies in the paper and packaging industry to have an Industry Waste Management Plan (IndWMP) in place.

“Recycling is our commitment to South Africa. Responsible production and recycling remains a top priority for us and through our long-standing relationship with Petco, we believe we are making a valuable contribution.

“We are pleased to now have all our plastics plants as Petco-contributing plants,” states Neelin Naidoo, MD for Mpact Plastics.

Mpact Versapak’s decision to join Petco further reflects its steps towards creating new local end-use markets for PET thermoform recycling and supporting greater return of this resource into the South African economy.

“Petco has been engaging the PET thermoform sector since our incorporation in 2004,” said Petco CEO Cheri Scholtz in a BizCommunity report.

“This is a welcome move by Mpact Versapak, so that together, we can find sustainable solutions for these thermoform products.”

The company said that this is part of Versapak’s ambitions to make a positive contribution to the market and assist consumers to make positive environmental changes by changing their polystyrene recycling habits.

Petco is a PET plastic recycling company that aims at fulfilling the PET industry’s role of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by being a voluntary industry driven and financed environmental solution for post-consumer PET plastic.

Under its recycling initiative, the firm imposes accountability over the life cycle of PET products and packaging by ensuring that companies involved in handing PET products are financially and physically responsible for such products after their useful life.

Other than Mpact, the company has partnered both multinational and homegrown companies in the drive of championing a more sustainable environment.

Petco members include Coca-Cola, Nampak, Pick n Pay, Astrapak, Polyoak, Woolworths, Diageo, Green Revolution and Kaytech among others.