The PETCO Business Model Funds from the PET industry support a constant supply and demand for post-consumer PET. In order to sustain and grow PET bottle collection, consistent demand for post consumer PET is required.  Recycling is a commodity business, and as such it is prone to significant cycles; a sustainable PET recycling economy with a constant supply and demand scenario needs to be generated. PET recyclers, collectors and reclaimers need support, and PETCO needs funds from the PET industry in order to support recyclers, collectors, reclaimers and continued collection. The two key components of funding are; To sustain current recycling tonnages through adverse economic cycles (oil price, ZAR vs USD rate, consistent buyers for bottles); Further investment to enable increased tonnages and greater collection coverage. The recycling levy collected by PETCO is used in support of two types of programmes : -  Category ‘A’ Projects -  Category ‘B’ Projects

The economically viable collection and recycling of PET

These projects focus on increasing the economically viable collection and recycling of post-consumer PET.
In this respect PETCO optimises the utilisation of existing collection and recycling infrastructure, and helps to facilitate its establishment where it does not currently exist. PETCO provides financial assistance to recyclers for every ton of PET that they recycle.  Transport subsidies are provided where high transport costs would otherwise discourage collection.

Three Category “A” projects have been approved to date :

• Extrupet: 5 -year agreement with PETCO: 5676 tons of PET recycled in 2005; 12 333 tons in 2007, 14 000 in 2008 and rising to 26 000 tons by 2010.
• Hosaf: Heads of Agreement with PETCO; 2164 tons of PET recycled in 2005; 3901 tons for 2007, 4091 in 2008 rising to 6000 by 2010.
• Kaytech Engineered Fabrics: 4-year contract with PETCO: 7800 tons of RPET over the period.

Contracts with recyclers have been updated to include transport assistance. This means that the recyclers will be able to expand the collection of post consumer PET to urban area other than Gauteng.

Category ‘B’ Projects

Many of these activities are conducted as part of PETCO’s contractual relationship with the Plastics Federation of South Africa’s Enviromark Initiative. Other initiatives include joint venture projects with the Recovery Action Group members such as Collect a Can, The Glass Recycling Company, The Polystyrene Packaging Council, and the Paper Recycling Association of SA.  PETCO is also a partner of the City of Cape Town’s Wastewise project, the Western Cape Provincial Government’s 2Wise2Waste project, GDACE Cleanup project and the Kruger National Park.

Category “B" projects that PETCO supports are divided into the following 5 groupings :

1. PET Recovery and Recycling

-  PET Recovery Stations
- Separation at Source

2. Information and Communication

- Exhibitions and Workshops
- Major Events
- Newsletters
- Advertising
- Recycling Plant Visits

3. Clean Up Campaigns and Litter Awareness

4. Education and Training

5. Joint Venture Projects with the PET Industry

1. PET Recovery and Recycling

PET Recovery Stations

In partnership with local authorities, schools, the Plastics Federation of SA and NGO’s, 65 PET recovery stations have been established around South Africa:

• 33 in Gauteng
• 15 in Cape Town
• 9 in Durban
• 8 in Tshwane

Separation at Source

A number of separation at source projects were facilitated by PETCO together with the private sector:

- Loveday House
- VIP Payroll
- Afrisam (joint venture with WESSA, PSPC (Polystyrene Packaging Council) and Nampak
- Monsanto Business Park

2. Information and Communication

Exhibitions and Workshops

As part of the contract with the Plastics Federation of South Africa, a number of exhibitions and workshops are held where PET plastic recycling is highlighted : 

- Marine and Coastal Educators Network (East London)
- SABC Education Fairs :

•       Durban
•       Johannesburg
•       Polokwane
•       Cape Town

- National Science Week (Free State Education Department)
- Grahamstown Science Festival
- Sasol TechnoX (Sasolburg)
- INSITE (International Science and Technology Exhibition) Johannesburg
- Pretoria Show
- WASTECON 2008
- PROPAK  2008 (Cape Town)

A number of opportunities arise for PETCO itself to spread the PET recycling message :

- Tembisa Recycling Awareness day – 400 collectors attended
- Lonehill Environmental Day – PET recycling awareness
- Global Day Of Climate Change – PETCO set up an information
   booth in Alexander Township and explained the collection and
   recycling process of PET
- Capricorn District Municipality - recycling workshop with Collect-      
   a-Can; Glass recycling Company; Nampak, five local   
   municipalities and some 300 collectors

Major Events

PETCO and partners support various events as part of their “greening” efforts. PETCO provides branded clean-up bags (up to 8000 per event), T Shirts, flags and banners, posters at registration and adverts in event programmes.

Events include :

- Cape Argus Cycle Race (March)
- Two Oceans Marathon (March)
- Knysna Oyster Festival (July) - marathon and cycle race
- 702 Walk the Talk (July) – Johannesburg walk
- Amashova Cycle Race (October) – Cycle race between Pietermaritzburg and Durban
- St John’s Rugby Festival
- Magaliesburg Festival
- Boksburg City stadium – Event over three days, 28 schools participate in event. About 6000 people attend. 5500 post-consumer PET bottles collected.

Electronic Newsletters

- “Enviromark”: PETCO is one of the contributors to the Plastic Federation’s Enviromark Newsletter which is published three
   times per annum (April, July and September).
- “PET ReFresh”: PETCO distributes three issues of its own electronic newsletter.
- “It`s All About Plastics” Poster Booklet: 230 000 booklets were distributed at exhibitions, workshops and training sessions

Advertising and Public Relations

A focused PET advertising campaign “Did you Know?” featured in the media during 2008. The target market focused on consumers who are interested in recycling and green issues, but who may not know that PET is recyclable or what it is recycled into. Adverts were placed in Getaway, Wegbreek, Real Simple, Country Life, Garden & Home, Woman & Home, Rooi Rose and the Mail and Guardian. This raised awareness levels and led to a dramatic increase in the number of inquiries.

A number of general press releases are distributed and good coverage received across a broad spectrum of media.
 
Recycling Plant Visits

Packaging technologists from Pick ‘n Pay, project members of the Clinton Climate Initiative, and colleagues from the Recovery Action Group comprising Glass, Cans and Paper, were taken on recycling tours at recyclers Extrupet and Hosaf.

3. Clean Up Campaigns and Litter Awareness

- World Wetlands Day

- Clean-up of Kliptown (Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens) – 2000 participants

-Clean-up at Olievenhoutbosch and exhibition – 900 learners and educators

- National Water Week (March 2008) – 20 000 bags distributed with Rand Water, Department of Water Affairs and Delta Enviro Centre

- Tsedu Education Centre

- Apiesriver clean-up (Pretoria) with primary schools in the area

- Xtreme Park Makeover (Soweto)

- Clean-up of Diepkloof, Soweto – community members

- World Environment Week (June 2008) World Environment Day launch (5 June) at Mogale City (Krugersdorp)- clean-up by  community and 2 schools (500 people)

- International Coastal Clean-Up and Clean-Up SA Week – September 2008 where 350 000 branded bags were handed out to KZN Wildlife, Keep Clean Organisations, Environmental Organisations, Government Departments and local Councils.

- An ICC clean-up day (underwater with 120 divers),  Simonstown Harbour on the 19th September 2008.

- Westbury - Vukuzenzele Recycling and PETCO participated in a clean-up campaign in Westbury with school children – some 300 yellow bags of PET bottles were collected.

4. Education and Training

PETCO welcomes the opportunity of visiting schools, communities and environmental organizations to create awareness of plstics ad PET Recycling.

Fantastic Plastics School Competition
 
PETCO is a proud sponsor along with the Plastics Federation, Buyisa-e-Bag and others. The exposure for PETCO includes 500 000 brochures distributed at exhibitions, advertising slots on SABC TV channels 1,2,3 and 11 national radio stations, as well as the SABC youth programme “Science for Life”.  PETCO congratulates the 2008 winners: Rensu Theart, Daniel Rabe, Thendo Sigidi and Raksha Gosai who were announced during the International Coastal Clean-up day on 19 September in Cape Town

5. Joint Venture Projects with Industry

The following are some joint venture projects with industry :

- Signage and marketing material for Wasteplan kerbside collection projects in Cape Town
- Baling machine for Enviroman in Jeffrey’s Bay
- Baling machine for Cradock and surrounds