News - The Paper Story (PAMSA)

South Africa’s paper recycling rate climbs to 63.3%

SiteAdmin — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:25:55 +0000

18 March 2026 – South Africa’s paper recycling rate reached 63.3% in 2025, up from 60% in 2024.

Through paper mills and a nationwide network of collectors – including small recycling businesses and informal waste pickers – around 1.2 million tonnes of paper and paper packaging are diverted from landfill each year and returned to the recycling loop, where they are used again to produce new paper products such as packaging and tissue.

Marking Global Recycling Day, the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) says that while this progress reflects the growing role that consumers play in keeping recyclable materials in circulation, there is still significant room for improvement. “Unfortunately, a substantial volume is still ending up in landfill or the environment due to poor waste separation and recycling habits,” says Samantha Choles, communications manager for PAMSA.

Office paper and paper packaging, such as cardboard boxes and grocery bags, are both widely used and highly recyclable, making them key to improving South Africa’s recycling rate.

“We really want to encourage people to put cardboard boxes and paper bags out for collection by informal collectors,” says Choles. “If these materials are placed in wheelie bins, they often become dirty and wet, making them far more difficult to recover and recycle.”

PAMSA also appeals to businesses, schools and home to help improve the recycling of office paper. “Put containers at printers, desks and in classrooms to make it easier for people to recycle,” advises Choles.

“By making a few simple changes at home, work and school, consumers can help ensure that paper products get a second life instead of ending up in landfills, which are rapidly nearing capacity.”

Every tonne of recycled paper saves around three cubic metres of landfill space. If baled, the recovered material would cover the equivalent of 218 football fields or 154 rugby fields, fill 1,438 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or stretch 1,797 kilometres if laid end to end – roughly the distance from Cape Town to the Kruger National Park.

Three simple ways to recycle more paper

1. Know what can be recycled

Items such as office paper, cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, magazines, newspapers as well as milk and beverage cartons can all be recycled.
Very wet or dirty paper products, tissues, nappies, and laminated paper should be disposed of as general waste.

2. Keep paper separate, clean and dry

Paper and cardboard should be kept separate from wet or food waste so they remain suitable for recycling.
Remove plastic windows, tape, staples or other non-paper components where possible before recycling.

3. Support local recycling systems

Consumers can place recyclables out for neighbourhood collectors, use municipal recycling programmes where available, or drop materials off at recycling centres or shopping mall recycling points.

According to PAMSA, small actions by millions of South Africans can make a significant difference.

“Every cereal box, cardboard box or office document that is separated for recycling helps keep valuable fibre in the production loop,” says Choles. “By building simple recycling habits, consumers can help South Africa continue improving its recycling rate.”

For more information on how to recycle paper, visit www.pamsa.co.za.

The post South Africa’s paper recycling rate climbs to 63.3% first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

Why negative forestry perceptions are doing our planet a disservice

Admin — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:59:19 +0000

Papering over the cracks: why negative forestry perceptions are doing our planet a disservice

Jane Molony, Executive Director at Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA)

I would be sipping piña coladas on a luxury island resort if I had a rand (or maybe a US dollar) for every time I’ve seen the words ‘please consider the environment before you print’. Variations of this phrase can be found at the bottom of emails and in countless pieces of pro-digital and paper recycling messaging.

In the quest for a higher state of environmental consciousness, there is an increase in misinformation around paper and its impact on our planet. The misinformation seems to ignore how sustainably grown trees act as carbon sinks (thanks to photosynthesis), or that farmed wood is a renewable resource. Instead, the myths about the forestry and paper sector have grown ignorant tendrils across the internet, into literature, school curricula and textbooks, and have taken root deep within our minds.

We have been taught to protect trees. We have been made to believe that the production of timber and paper causes deforestation, and that using digital forms of communication, advertising and reading will save our planet.

Climate scientists have recently indicated that this year could become the hottest year on record as the warming El Niño effect continues. While there are a number of human-influenced impacts at play, we rarely consider the impact of our digital footprint on the planet.

TechTarget cites statistics from International Energy Association that the world’s data transmission networks and centres are responsible for nearly 1% of energy-related global greenhouse gas emissions annually and accounted for approximately 300 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2020.

A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) also found that cloud computing and data services now have a greater carbon footprint than the entire airline industry and a single data centre can consume the equivalent electricity of 50,000 homes.

It’s something we rarely think about as we click send a hundred times a day or save something to ‘the cloud’. We have been led to understand that everything digital is better for the environment by greenwashed statements.

I am not saying “unplug the Internet and print everything”. I am saying that we need to get our facts straight. There are always two sides to an issue like this. The digital world is very much part of how we live and thrive, but we are doing our economy and society a disservice to see the forest and paper industry as an environmental villain.

‘Greenwashing’ is when an organisation or sector spends more time and money on marketing itself as being environmentally conscious than it does on minimising its environmental impact. Unfortunately, paper has been an easy target of this kind of misdirection.

A number of banks in South Africa are guilty of greenwashing and we have taken them to task. One particularly green bank has pushed its paperless transition by urging consumers to join a ‘movement towards a cleaner, greener, paperless world’. Another bank had a message on its blue ATM screens: “If everyone said no to a receipt just for one month, we would save 45 trees.”

It’s necessary to unpack why businesses and consumers think paper is bad before we can change perceptions.

Timber harvesting has been equated to deforestation

The production of timber, pulp and paper does not cause deforestation. In South Africa, like wheat or maize, trees are farmed – except with longer rotations. There are always trees of different stages of maturity growing, and forestry companies use the same land over and over again, with thousands of hectares audited, certified and sustainably managed. Deforestation is the removal of trees without replanting, and a change in land use, such as cattle farming, urban development or human settlements.

That said, deforestation is a very real concern in developing countries and some African countries, where illegal logging of tropical forests is happening at an alarming rate. It’s why forest certification is so important, and where consumers can wield their power by only purchasing paper packaging, books or other wood-based goods with either a FSC ^[i] or PEFC ^[ii] label. These certification symbols indicate that the wood or paper is sourced from sustainable sources.

The perceived impact of forestry is visible

If you see an image of a forest plantation that has been felled, you might assume that those trees are lost forever. I am willing to bet that the same area will be showing 50 shades of green within 12 months as the trees begin to coppice (regrow) or are replaced with saplings.

On the flip side, we do not see the impact of storing terabytes of data in the cloud, posting our holiday snaps on Instagram or sending emails to all and sundry. We do not see the tonnes of metals, cables, fans, switches, the electricity needed to power the servers all or keep them cool. We do perhaps see the mounting volumes of e-waste.

In all things, we need to consider the sources and flow of materials that we use.

Forestry is a monoculture

Yes, at compartment level, forestry plantations are a monoculture, not unlike fields of sugar cane or other forms of agriculture. Zoom out to a landscape level and you will find that our members’ forest management practices support biodiversity conservation with incredible success and often in collaboration with environmental organisations.

A third of forestry-owned land is not planted with commercial trees but managed for the conservation of the natural habitats and the biodiversity they contain. This in turn balances the ecosystem and ensures healthy, productive plantations.

Trees use water

All life on earth requires water. Much like us, plantations will take up the water they need and transpire the excess. If a eucalyptus or pine tree is planted near a water course, it will take up more water. The amount of water they need and use depends on an array of factors from abiotic (soil, climate) to biotic such as the size, age and health of the plant.

This is why water stewardship is exercised, ensuring that trees are never planted beyond the buffer zones between plantations and riverine areas. There are ongoing programmes to ensure that such species, along with other alien invasive species, are removed from environmentally sensitive areas.

Our country’s 1.2 million plantations are not irrigated, and the average annual water requirement (water used) for forestry plantations has been calculated to be 428 million cubic metres per year, approximately 3% of South Africa’s total water usage. By comparison, crop irrigation is 7,920 million cubic metres (62%) with urban domestic use just less than three million cubic metres (23%).

The impossibility of paperlessness

While digital media has undoubtedly increased our access to information, delivered convenience and opened up new economies, the idea that it will render print and paper obsolete is, well, ridiculous.

Tim Harford writes in ‘Fifty Things that Made the Modern Economy’: “Old technologies have a habit of enduring. We still use pencils and candles. The world still produces more bicycles than cars.”

Many people forget that paper is more than the stuff we stick into our laser jets and copiers. The same stuff that makes pristine A4 sheets makes cardboard boxes, gift bags, toilet paper, facial tissue, magazine paper, book paper, labels, and countless cellulose-based products such as sponges, textiles and cellulose acetate (or cellophane). They all started as wood fibre. These everyday products are all renewable, many of them recyclable.

Other components of wood are finding their place in a variety of applications: sugars can be used to make xylitol; lignin is processed into lignosulphonate for dust suppression, water treatment and improving the flow of concrete.

What you can do

If you want to use wood and paper products in an environmentally sound way:

Put down the greenwashing paintbrush, because digital media does not grow on trees.
Change or remove that email signature footer. Please.
Make sure the paper you use is sustainably sourced by looking for certification symbols such as FSC or PEFC.
If you print, recycle the paper along with paper-based packaging and other recyclable paper products.

By understanding the facts, dispelling misconceptions, and embracing emerging trends, farmed trees, print and paper do not need to compete with digital or vice versa. The two worlds can complement one another and fulfil functions that the other cannot.

Forest, pulp, and paper companies are among the most fervent adherents of sustainability. Not only is our sector committed to being environmentally conscious and resource efficient, but we also invest incredible amounts of time and resources to make sure we make the most of our trees, supporting not only society, but a future that is founded on a circular economy.

The post Why negative forestry perceptions are doing our planet a disservice first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

ICYMI – PAMSA’s recent webinars and sessions

Admin — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 08:57:19 +0000

PAMSA has had a busy few months during which it has hosted a number of webinars and discussions on a variety of topics. These webinars are hosted on the PAMSA YouTube channel.

So in case you missed them, please find a list of the sessions below.

5 October 2023 – Unpacking the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement for Timber Processing, Pulp & Paper Sector

Speakers:

Jane Molony, Executive director of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa
Calvin Phume, Director: Africa Bilateral Economic Relations, Trade Branch, the dtic
Claudia Furriel, Director, African Union, Trade Branch, the dtic (AfCFTA; SACU; SADC & TFTA)
Marvin Silawule, Economist, Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa (ECIC)
Closing Remarks – Tafadzwa Nyanzunda, Director Forest Based Industries, the dtic

28 September 2023 – Calculating carbon sequestration and GHG emissions using value based platform (VBP)

Speakers:

Steven Germishuizen and Dr David Everard, Sustainable African Forest Assurance Scheme

19 September 2023 – Calculating carbon sequestration and GHG emissions using the MRV tool

Speakers:

Joslin Lydall, Catalyt Solutions

14 August 2023 – Paper Packaging Insights trends and myths

Speakers:

Jane Molony, executive director of PAMSA
Don Mac Farlane, packaging senior at Woolworths
Bill Marshall, Institute of Packaging South Africa

20 July 2023 – Introduction to Carbon Reporting and Carbon Tax for Forestry and Forest Products

Speakers:

Jane Molony – PAMSA
Sewela Malaka – Control Environmental Officer in the Chief Directorate: Climate Change Mitigation & Specialist Monitoring Services and Directorate: GHG Inventory & Systems, DFFE
Ms Julie Borland – PAMSA’s research and development coordinator
Dr David Everard – Sustainable Land Use advisor and consultant to SAFAS

5 July 2023 – PAMSA roundtable at Langhams in Fourways

Speakers:

Jane Molony, executive director of PAMSA
Don Mac Farlane, packaging senior at Woolworths
Bill Marshall, Institute of Packaging South Africa

Speakers:

Jane Molony – PAMSA
Sewela Malaka – Control Environmental Officer in the Chief Directorate: Climate Change Mitigation & Specialist Monitoring Services and Directorate: GHG Inventory & Systems, DFFE
Ms Julie Borland – PAMSA’s research and development coordinator
Dr David Everard – Sustainable Land Use advisor and consultant to SAFAS

The post ICYMI – PAMSA’s recent webinars and sessions first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

WEBINAR REMINDER: Unpacking the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement for the Timber Processing and Pulp & Paper Sector

Admin — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:24:53 +0000

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is the world’s largest free trade area bringing together the 55 countries of the African Union (AU) and eight (8) Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to create a single market for the continent. The aim is to enable the free flow of goods and services across the continent and boost the trading position of Africa in the global market. 

The purpose of the webinar is to expose stakeholders in the timber processing and pulp and paper sectors to export opportunities presented by the AfCFTA. The webinar will also update businesses on the status of the implementation of the AfCFTA.

SCENE-SETTING REMARKS: THE YEAR OF AfCFTA – MOVING TOWARDS ACCELERATION OF AFCFTA IMPLEMENTATION
Calvin Phume, Director: Africa Bilateral Economic Relations, Trade Branch, the dtic
UNPACKING SOUTH AFRICA’S TRADE AGREEMENTS
Claudia Furriel, Director, African Union, Trade Branch, the dtic (AfCFTA; SACU; SADC & TFTA)
EXPORT FINANCE INSURANCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE AFCFTA EXPORT MARKET
Marvin Silawule, Economist, Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa (ECIC)

QUERIES:

Tafadzwa Nyanzunda
TNyanzunda@thedtic.gov.za
Director Forest Based Industries
Agro-processing and Forest Based Industries Unit
Industrial Competitiveness & Growth Divison
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition

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SAGERS WEBINAR – 10 OCTOBER 2023 – South African Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting System

Admin — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 05:54:50 +0000

10 October 2023 | 10:00 – 12:00

(Please ensure you type your email address in the registration page correctly to ensure that you receive your webinar confirmation and related communication)

On behalf of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa and the Sustainable African Forest Assurance Scheme (SAFAS), we invite you to the fourth webinar on carbon measurement and reporting for Forestry and Forest Products focusing on the SAGERS system.

SAGERS – the South African Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting System – is a Greenhouse Gas Reporting Module and a web-based platform for the registration and submission of GHG emissions data by data providers in terms of GHG Reporting Regulations.

The presenter will be Sindisiwe Mashele, Director: Climate Change Monitoring and Evaluation for GHG Inventory & Systems at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

This webinar follows from the introductory presentation of the system that was held on 20 July 2023. Sindisiwe will provide more detail on how a data provider in the Forestry sector can register and report emissions to SAGERS. This will be followed Q&A and discussion.

Queries:

Julie Borland

borlandj@mweb.co.za

The post SAGERS WEBINAR – 10 OCTOBER 2023 – South African Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting System first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

Paper industry offers life-changing career avenues through learner placement programme

Admin — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 09:22:07 +0000

Sakhile Zincume from Gingindlovu in KwaZulu-Natal had been held back in grade 11 twice before finally completing his matric. He went on to enrol in pulp and paper making at Umfolozi TVET college and through hard work and diligence, Zincume finished his three-year course and participated in a 12-month placement programme at Sappi Stanger spearheaded by the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA).

Zincume, now a boiler attendant at Sappi Stanger mill, has since held a variety of positions at the mill and embarked on a career journey that seemed farfetched back when he was 17.

The class of 2023 is nearing the end of a school career that has spanned well over a decade. Many matriculants will face some difficult choices ahead of the onward tertiary education journey and potential job opportunities. PAMSA, in partnership with key academic institutions and the FP&M Seta, supports learners on this journey through its successful training and learner placement programme.

The PAMSA programme seeks to provide young people in the neighbouring mill communities with better opportunity and create a talent pool for a sector that produces everyday essentials such as cardboard boxes and paper packaging, tissue, pulp, printing and writing paper. South Africa is one of the world’s largest producers of dissolving wood pulp and the largest producer of pulp, paper, and paper products on the African continent. The pulp and paper sector alone contributed a R45 billion to the local economy.

In partnership with Durban University of Technology, UNISA, and the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges of Ekurhuleni in Springs and Umfolozi in Mandeni, PAMSA aims to give students the power to change their circumstances through the pulp and paper related courses offered at these institutions. The theory aspect is enhanced through experiential training at PAMSA’s member mills.

Funded by PAMSA and the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Seta, the initiative has placed 222 learners over the past five years, with around 50-70% securing employment within our member companies, and in broader pulp, paper and similar processing sectors.

“This placement programme put me on the path I am today and gave me the ability to help myself and my family achieve financial stability,” says Zincume.

“This programme changes lives. Students participate in workplace experience for either six or 12 months, with around 70% of them finding employment with our member companies,” says Tharif Hanif, manager of the Pulp and Paper Centre of Excellence, a partnership initiative between PAMSA, the FP&M Seta and Umfolozi TVET College in KwaZulu-Natal.

Paper industry ever more relevant

Despite the emergence of digital media, paper remains an integral part of our lives and this programme is a gateway for people into a dynamic industry that not only makes boxes and books, but also innovative biochemicals, nanocellulose and lignosulphonate.

“The demand of climate-friendly products remains strong especially with the growth of online shopping and the need for greener materials,” says Hanif, adding these products require artisans, process engineers and machine operators to ensure production stays on track.

“The pulp and paper sector is a complex business that requires a diverse range of skills and talents. Careers in the forest and forest products sector can range from engineering, chemistry, forestry, and operations, to sales, marketing, and research and development.”

Bridging the gap

“Many students often struggle with maths, science, and chemistry-related subjects, so PAMSA runs tutoring programmes for pulp and paper students as well as employees who wish to study further,” says Hanif.

PAMSA also visits schools near its member operations so that young people are made aware of the study and career opportunities the sector offers.

To find out more about PAMSA’s education and training initiatives, click here.

Sakhile Zincume from Gingindlovu in KwaZulu-Natal

Note to the editor

PAMSA represents the pre-competitive interests of the pulp and paper sector, focusing on education, training, environment, research, and recycling on behalf of its member companies, namely Corruseal, Kimberly-Clark, Mondi, Mpact, Neopak and Sappi.

The post Paper industry offers life-changing career avenues through learner placement programme first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

What do 161 rugby fields and South Africa’s paper recycling have in common?

Admin — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:01:27 +0000

1.3 million tonnes of paper and paper packaging kept out of SA’s landfills thanks to recycling

JOHANNESBURG – SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 –Thanks to the waste separation efforts of conscientious citizens, businesses, schools and the greater recycling industry, South Africa recycled just less than 1.3 million tonnes of paper and paper packaging in 2022. If baled and laid out, this would cover 161 rugby fields

The same amount would weigh as much as 208,553 mature African elephants, or fill 1,502 Olympic -sized swimming pools. “More importantly, it saved 3.8 million cubic metres of landfill^[i] space, and ensured that the paper industry could re-use the fibre in cardboard boxes, grocery bags, egg boxes, newspapers, and tissue products,” explains Samantha Choles, communications manager of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA).

“We are certainly seeing more paper packaging entering the market as several brands are shifting to paper, especially in primary packaging – the packaging that contains the item,” says Choles.

Packaging sustainability trends are affecting demand for paper with big brands reducing plastic in their packaging, or at least aiming for single material packaging that is locally recyclable.

During 2022, South Africa produced 1.96 million tonnes of pulp, paper, board and tissue, importing just over one million tonnes and exporting 540,000 tonnes. This put the apparent consumption^[ii] of paper and paper packaging at 2.45 million tonnes.

Choles adds that toilet paper and other tissue products are neither collectable nor recyclable, and therefore excluded from what is available for collection. In 2022, two million tonnes were deemed collectable. This excludes 410,000 tonnes of secondary corrugated packaging comprising export fruit, wine and other products. Similarly, PAMSA includes the corrugated packaging, containing imported goods, which therefore become available for the recycling market.

Recycling susceptible to market volatilities

The paper recycling rate for 2022 was 61%. While this is lower than previous years, it’s still comparable with more developed nations such as the United States (68%) and Europe (70%). “Recycling statistics should not be viewed in isolation year on year,” cautions Choles, adding that a lower recycling percentage does not mean that South Africa is recycling less paper. In volume terms, 2022 was higher than previous years.

Recycling is a flow-process, affected by market trends and volatilities, with paper grades taking six to nine months to move through various steps in the supply chain, such as manufacturing and conversion, packing, transit, consumption, and eventually collection and recycling. The latter entails collection by various entities, sorting, then repulping and finally manufacturing and conversion into new paper products. Thus the recycling rates will be affected by how quickly the volumes of paper pass through the market.

Consumers and businesses can do more

The global ‘Trend Tracker Survey 2023’, spearheaded by Two Sides, questioned more than 10,000 consumers from 16 countries on their preferences and opinions regarding various packaging types, their attributes and their impact. Some 62% of respondents said they recycle paper and paper packaging at home, and 78% understand the types of products that need to go into the recycling bin. “This is great news and we hope this will improve as awareness around waste separation and recycling increases,” adds Choles.

Clean and dry paper is essential. Informal recycling collectors and waste traders will earn a better rate if the paper is of good quality. “Consumers must keep wet waste away from dry recyclables. If paper and cardboard get wet, it starts to degrade making the items less recyclable. Good fibre in, better products out,” explains Choles.

Separate bins in the home, and putting a box or bag of clean recyclables on the pavement for recycling collectors are two ways to make a difference, and keep products out of landfill.

“Even with a five-year average paper recycling rate of 67%, we hope that the extended producer responsibility regulations and the various industry programmes will help close the gaps between South Africa’s technical capacity to recycle, infrastructure to recover and collect, and consumer awareness, education and behaviour change,” says Choles.

Recycling closes the circle, cultivated trees keep it going

The ‘Trend Tracker Survey 2023’ also revealed that just less than 70% of South African consumers surveyed believe that only recycled paper should be used – from printing to packaging to tissue products.

“Many people don’t realise that paper fibres are not infinitely recyclable as they shorten after each “recycle” and do not bond well to make new paper. Fresh virgin fibre from sustainably farmed wood will be added to strengthen the pulp recipes.”

Recycling is just one branch of paper’s circularity. From the farming of 850 million trees on 676,000 hectares for pulp and papermaking to the beneficiation of process “waste” into lignosulphonates and other biochemicals, the paper industry is very much a circular economy.

[i] Based on one tonne of baled paper/paper packaging equivalent to three cubic metres.

[ii] Apparent consumption = Local production plus imports less exports

The post What do 161 rugby fields and South Africa’s paper recycling have in common? first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

Survey shows SA consumers are still confused about the impact of paper on forests

Admin — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 05:39:54 +0000

South African consumers’ views on environmental perceptions, preferences and attitudes towards print, paper and paper-based packaging have been included for the first time in an international survey, which showed that many are still confused about the relationship between farmed wood for papermaking, and deforestation.

The responses of 10,000 people in 16 countries were documented by Two Sides in the biennial Trend Tracker Survey, and while 71% of South African consumers agree that it is important to use paper products from sustainably managed forests, and 36% pay attention to forestry certification labels when purchasing paper-based products, the perceptions that a paperless environment is ecologically friendly, and that forestry as an industry contributes to deforestation, persists.

The survey showed that 35% of consumers believed that electronic devices were the most environmentally friendly, yet wood ranked second and paper ranked fourth. On the one hand, 77% of people feel that electronic communication is better than paper-based media; on the other, 76% acknowledge that planted forests are not bad for the environment – a clear contradiction.

Jane Molony, executive director of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA), says the forest and paper sector is misunderstood and thus beleaguered by myths that are rooted in ignorance and assumption. “Timber plantations or planted forests make up 7% of the global forest area, yet provide about 50% of the wood for industrial use such as pulp, paper, and timber for construction,” she says. For this reason balancing sustainability with productive and economic imperative is high on the forest sector’s agenda. “Through biodiversity enrichment, water stewardship and community support programmes, the forest sector invests significantly in reducing its impact on the land it uses,” says Molony.

In May this year, PAMSA member Mondi South Africa and Endangered Wildlife Trust announced a three-year partnership to map Mondi South Africa’s species and ecosystem biodiversity footprint and identify best practices for biodiversity management in its local forestry operations.

Sustainable forestry misunderstood

Paper’s core component, cellulose, is a renewable resource. In South Africa, where almost all indigenous forests and woodlands are protected, wood for pulp and paper product comes from sustainably managed forests where the cycle of planting, growing and regenerating is carefully controlled.

The needs of the timber, pulp and paper sectors are served by 1.4 billion trees planted on 1.2 million hectares, which is 1% of South Africa’s total land cover.

“Forestry companies have nurseries tending to millions of seedlings every year which go on to replace mature trees once they have been harvested,” explains Molony. Less than 10% of the total plantation area is harvested annually, and this is replanted within the same year, which means that more than 111 million trees are planted every year. “That is, on average 306 000 trees a day.”

South Africa is naturally a very tree-poor country, with only 0.4% of the country being covered with indigenous trees. This is one of the key reasons why only commercially planted trees are used for wood products – to prevent encroaching on our indigenous forests.

In addition, at least one quarter of forest-owned land is left unplanted, allowing biodiversity-rich corridors to flourish with indigenous fauna and flora in grasslands, wetlands and wooded areas.

Sappi, also a PAMSA member, has seven declared nature reserves on its landholdings in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces with a combined 6,320 hectares including Clairmont Mountain Nature Reserve which is home to 10 red data species. These reserves are part of South Africa’s Biodiversity Stewardship Programme managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

What about water?

Water use was another area where misconceptions seem to have taken hold. Just more than half of consumers surveyed (51%) believe that paper production uses an excessive amount of water, but the forestry sector uses only 3% of South Africa’s available water, with agriculture and domestic water consumption accounting for 60% and 29% respectively.

“Plantations are not irrigated. Some companies plant seedlings with hydrogel, but the rest is up to nature,” says Molony. “Yet our sector is the only sector to pay a ‘rain tax’, as forestry is considered a stream flow reduction activity.”

Trees, like any living organism, take in, use and transpire water as part of their growth needs. “This is why the forest industry is adopting a more stringent approach to planting, ensuring buffer zones exist between compartments and riverine areas,” notes Molony.

The WWF-Mondi Water Stewardship has been in place for more than three decades, initially centred on wetland management but later expanded to focus on catchment-based water stewardship which prioritises catchments with possible water-related risks. Mondi has made investments in rehabilitating wetlands on plantation landholdings in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Currently Mondi manages about 15,000 hectares of wetlands within its own and leased land properties.

Sappi is also working closely with WWF to improve the catchment and the ecological integrity of the uMkomaas river which is strategic for Sappi in terms of water supply to operations. Work includes clearing of invasive alien plants in the catchment area by using local communities’ members who are employed in the project which contributes to employment opportunities in the rural areas of Impendle.

“We have to continue to challenge the misconceptions and contradictory opinions surrounding wood- and paper-based products and their impact on the environment,” concludes Molony. “When people grasp that trees are farmed, just like we farm mealies and wheat, their perception shifts. I’ve witnessed this personally time and time again.”

The post Survey shows SA consumers are still confused about the impact of paper on forests first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

South African consumers have varied preferences when it comes to print and electronic communication, survey reveals

Admin — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:51:26 +0000

In the blended world of paper and digital media, consumers have varied preferences for what they receive electronically or in “hard copy”. This was brought to light in the Two Sides Trend Tracker survey, a biennial survey into consumer preferences and perceptions of print, paper and paper-based packaging.

“The survey revealed that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to print or digital, and there is a place for both,” says Jane Molony, executive director of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA).

South Africa participated in this extensive piece of research that questioned more than 10,000 consumers in 16 countries across the world and provided an assessment of consumers’ attitudes towards print and paper.

Reading habits – leisure, news

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the shift from paper and print to reading on digital devices, across all categories of communications was real. This included newspapers, magazines, books, catalogues, invoices and statements, and personal health information.

“Despite this surge in online media use, many consumers still value print on paper, especially when reading books and magazines,” says Molony.

The Two Sides survey shows that 49% of South African consumers prefer to read printed books and magazines. Around 44% prefer to read news on their computer or device, but ironically the same number would be concerned if print newspapers were to disappear.

“This was in line with our own survey that we conducted in 2022, in which 65% of respondents preferred paper over digital when reading for leisure,” adds Molony. Just less than 25% still get their daily news from newspapers only, while 33% of the participants said they rely on a combination of newspapers and news websites.

Marketing and advertising

While most of the advertising-related statements posed to the respondents yielded a relatively even three-way split across ‘agree, neither agree/disagree, and disagree’, there were some interesting results.

Around 46% of respondents said they ignore or block online advertisements with the largest proportion (62%) in the 18-24 age category.
Similarly, 41% said do not ignore print advertisements (e.g. newspapers) against 29% who do, and a third being undecided.
On paying a premium to remove online ads, 44% disagree with this, while 28% and 27% agreed and were undecided respectively.

According to research conducted by ROOTS, a South African urban, community-level, quantitative survey, 80% of people look for specials in local and community papers followed by 77% in store and 70% via online searches. Print is consumed intentionally, making adverts in print up to four times more impactful and up to two times more effective than social media ads*.

“Such research affirms that print has not been substituted by our laptops and mobile phones, but rather digital advertising complements print, which remains an integral part of the purchasing decision,” notes Molony.

Receipt of personal documents and invoices

When it comes to receiving medical records, tax documents, invoices and statements, the South African preference weighed in favour of electronic communication at 72% against 21%. (10 percent of respondents had no preference.)

“Respondents in other countries in this survey showed a preference to receiving their medical, tax and billing correspondence in the post. One wonders if this would be different if South Africa had a functioning postal system,” comments Molony.

“We should not interpret this as a dislike of paper-based communication,” notes Molony, adding that 70% of respondents are increasingly concerned that their personal information held electronically is at risk. On whether they found paper bills and statements, rather than electronic versions, better for record keeping, 44% agreed, 30% disagreed and 26% were neutral.

Learning and understanding

The survey also sought opinion on the advantages of reading and learning with paper and print. It revealed that more than half (54%) agreed or strongly agreed that “children and students learn more when reading printed rather than digital books and course materials”, compared to just 17% who disagreed or strongly disagreed. Some 37% agreed or strongly agreed that they “get a better understanding of the story when reading news in print rather than online”, compared to 29% who disagreed or strongly disagreed.

These results reinforce academic studies that have demonstrated the important role that paper and print has in education and in helping people understand complex information, whether that information is in the form of textbooks or news stories. An article in MIT Technology Review states that “the dangers of relying on technology are also particularly pronounced in literacy education and at early grade levels”.

Health and the digital age

The Two Sides survey showed that some 63% of South Africans acknowledged that they spend too much time on devices. Asked whether they are concerned that the overuse of electronic devices could be damaging to their physical health (in the form of eyestrain, sleep deprivation, headaches), 55% agreed or strongly agreed. In the same vein, 45% were concerned about the effect of devices on their mental health (depression, anxiety, concentration).

“Everything in life requires balance and moderation, and we need to choose what works best for a particular application,” concludes Molony.

The post South African consumers have varied preferences when it comes to print and electronic communication, survey reveals first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

Sappi’s #EmpowerHer community programme aims to uplift young women through sport

Admin — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 05:23:32 +0000

This year’s Women’s Month coincided with the women’s netball and football world cups, providing the ideal time for Sappi to launch its #EmpowerHer netball programme in its neighbouring communities.

Concerns raised by traditional councils over high teenage pregnancy rates and other societal challenges around Sappi’s KwaZulu-Natal-based mills, prompted the company to use sport as a solution.

Giving girls an opportunity to participate in sport builds self-esteem, courage and character and – as this self-belief grows – so too does the likelihood that they will steer their own destiny.

Adolescent girls and young women account for 35% of all new HIV infections, while gender-based violence (GBV) statistics predict that one in five are likely to experience physical violence by a partner. The programme also addresses period poverty, which results in an estimated 30% of girls in South African schools skipping classes due to limited or no access to feminine hygiene products.

The young ladies were delighted with the care packs that were handed out.

Spotters from Netball SA attended the tournament and were taking names of the promising talent on display.

The Sappi #EmpowerHer Netball Recreation Programme has provided accredited training for 24 young women who are now qualified coaches. Facilitated by Netball KZN and loveLife, a youth-based health NGO, the initiative empowers them to use sport as a tool to address local societal challenges, especially those faced by young women and girls. It also extends its support to participating community teams by providing essential resources such as netball poles, bibs, balls, whistles, water bottles and care packs containing sanitary towels and toiletries.

The culmination of their training was showcased in a tournament in August, when they put their skills to the test in a tournament featuring eight teams from Umkomaas, Stanger and Mandeni. Facilitators from loveLife also engaged in focus groups, with topics of discussion including the transformative power of sport, teenage pregnancy, menstrual hygiene and ways to combat GBV.

“The programme celebrates the potential of women in our communities using sport as a vehicle. The #EmpowerHer programme helps young women by promoting a healthy lifestyle and gives them the confidence to step up into peer leadership and advocacy positions. It further supports our commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular our support of SDG5 which deals with gender equality,” commented Mpho Lethoko, head of corporate affairs at Sappi Southern Africa.

Eight community teams battled it out for top honours at the tournament, with the trophy going to the Diamonds from Amandawe community.

The Sappi #EmpowerHer programme uses sport as a vehicle to encourage and help young women to gain confidence and to step up into peer leadership and advocacy positions in their communities.

The post Sappi’s #EmpowerHer community programme aims to uplift young women through sport first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).