Whether you’re manufacturing plastic products through flexible/rigid extrusion or injection moulding, you will need to pay heed to the new regulatory standards put out by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).
About The New Regulations
In March, the SABS announced that it would be implementing a new set of regulations for the certification of various types of plastics in South Africa.
The goal of the SABS certification regulations is to eliminate all vagueness and promote clarity. Specifically, the SABS stated that the new regulations would make it difficult for companies to assert that something is environmentally safe or environmentally friendly when this is not entirely true.
Going forward, plastic packaging manufacturers will need to subject their products to the appropriate tests and certification requirements to substantiate the claims they make.
Furthermore, all new packaging and plastics manufactured in South Africa will be required to display new labels clearly indicating the type of plastic they are made from. Importantly, these labels must specify whether the plastic is biodegradable. If claims are made regarding the biodegradability of the plastic, it will be subject to stringent tests and certification processes.
One of the challenges pointed out by the SABS is that consumers often do not understand the meanings behind these markings. Therefore, an education campaign will need to be implemented to raise awareness and ensure that consumers are informed about the types of plastics they are using.
What Are The Identification Codes?
The regulations stipulate that the type of plastic material used for packaging must be displayed on the packaging itself, using an identification code ranging from one to seven, enclosed within a triangle.
The identification codes are as follows:
- Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
- High-density polyethylene (PEHD)
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
- Low-density polyethylene (PELD)
- Polypropylene (PP)
- Polystyrene (PS)
- All other types of polymer materials that do not fit within the preceding six categories
The SABS stated that this should be done to ensure that South African plastic manufacturing aligns more closely with international best practices, which will ultimately enhance recyclers’ ability to properly sort materials. This, in turn, benefits the recycling industry by making it more efficient, accurate, and reliable.
Here at IPC, we specialise in producing flexible and rigid PVC compounds for various applications. Whether you’re looking to do flexible or rigid extrusions or injection mouldings, our compounds can meet your needs. Contact us today to learn more.
