Recycled PVC products stole the spotlight at the 2024 Best Recycled Plastic Product of the Year Awards, announced last week at a glittering gala dinner held in Cape Town. The event, organised by the South African Plastics Recycling Organisation (SAPRO), saw three innovative products made from recycled PVC dominate the Building and Construction category, impressing the judges with their creative approach to waste reduction and sustainability.

Judges for the competition represented Plastics|SA, Polyco, CSIR, Media24 & Waste Plan. Entries were judged against these criteria:

• Uniqueness
• Difficulty to recycle
• Technical achievement / manufacturing excellence
• Market acceptance / marketability
• Fit for purpose
• Tonnages recycled & % recycled content

Taking home top honours was NowaTech's PVC decking planks, made from recycled PVC pipes and bottles (primarily honey and bubble bath bottles), which won Gold in the Building and Construction category. The judges praised NowaTech for their innovative use of recycled materials, noting the product’s durability and contribution to reducing plastic waste.

Winning Silver was an equally impressive product – PVC sewage pipes for low-cost housing developments. These pipes, made from recycled loyalty and gift cards, offer an affordable and sustainable solution for infrastructure development while diverting significant volumes of plastic from landfills.

Tuff Floors, with their range of interlocking floor tiles made from recycled PVC, rounded off the category by taking home Bronze. Their product was commended for its versatility and ease of installation in both commercial and residential projects.

Monique Hinds, CEO of the Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA), expressed her excitement at the accomplishments of the PVC industry, saying, “This is a significant achievement for the PVC recycling sector. Despite continued successes in increasing recycling and collection rates for PVC in South Africa, there are still many people who mistakenly believe that PVC is not recycled or recyclable. Awards such as the SAPRO Awards are crucial in changing that perception. They highlight the innovation and commitment within our industry to reduce waste and unlock the value hidden in recycled plastics.”

She added, "We are incredibly proud of our brand owners and recyclers for their dedication to creating sustainable solutions. Innovative thinking and the development of new end-markets are essential to drive recycling efforts in South Africa.”

As the PVC industry continues to challenge outdated notions and push the boundaries of recycling, events like the SAPRO Awards underscore the important role that plastic recyclers play in reducing environmental impact and fostering a circular economy.