Factory gets official nod

OKAHANDJA – Namibia Polymer Recyclers (NPR) – a local plastic recycle plant that manufactures black plastic water pipes, refuse bags and water drums was officially launched on Monday.

Addressing guests at the event, Environment and Tourism Minister, Willem Konjore noted that the recycling plant was inspired by a collective responsibility to conserve the environment for current and future generations. NPR, which was established more than a year ago at a cost of about N$6 million, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastic Packaging, which is a Namibian-owned company.Plastic Packaging is 50 per cent owned by its executive management under the leadership of Harry Erasmus while the other 50 per cent is held by Frank Fredericks, Sidney Martin and Theo Saunderson.Plastic Packaging manufactures carrier, butcher, as well as bread bags; and distributes tapes, strapping, paper products, and pallet wrap amongst others in Namibia and also in Angola’s Benguela and Lubango areas.Konjore indicated that it is often said that the same properties that make plastic so useful to man, also cause plastic litter to be highly visible in the environment.Said Konjore: “It is important to understand that litter basically results from the irresponsible social attitudes, directly impacting on the authorities that have to clean other people’s waste, while indirectly having a negative impact on tourism and the numerous job opportunities it creates and support.Cleanliness is healthiness.We must keep our environment clean and healthy and thus our country and nation.”Recycling of plastic bags, bottles, crates and sheets has numerous spin-offs in the form of employment creation and import substitution, he said.Close to 100 people earn a living by collecting waste and sell it to NPR.The company has already assisted a number of small businessmen to set up collecting points in Ondangwa, Oshakati, Grootfontein, Otavi and Luderitz.Konjore said it also provides some downstream industries with a reliable source of raw material on their doorsteps.To this end, Konjore said, the recycling of plastic and waste management should be effectively carried out at all levels of Government structures.This dictates that local municipality officials must be trained in waste management; local authorities must promote recycling and collection of waste; earth care clubs or environmental clubs should be established at all schools so that children can learn to prevent pollution by controlling waste; and waste should be treated as possible revenue streams and an opportunity for job creation.Public awareness campaigns should encourage individual consumers and households to help achieve sustainable waste management through producing less waste, buying products made from recycled materials, separating waste for recycling and home composting, and taking part in local debates on waste management, Konjore urged.He noted that campaigns such as “National Waste Awareness” should be initiated in order to raise awareness about waste and recycling issues.NPR also works closely with other established waste collectors such as Move-A-Mess, Rent-A-Drum and Kleentek in the capital as well as Westcoast Recyclers in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund to ensure a steady flow of waste plastic for recycling.NPR, which employs a total of 45 workers, collects bottles (two litre Coke bottles and mineral water bottles), which are baled and sold to a South African based recycler.NampaNPR, which was established more than a year ago at a cost of about N$6 million, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastic Packaging, which is a Namibian-owned company.Plastic Packaging is 50 per cent owned by its executive management under the leadership of Harry Erasmus while the other 50 per cent is held by Frank Fredericks, Sidney Martin and Theo Saunderson.Plastic Packaging manufactures carrier, butcher, as well as bread bags; and distributes tapes, strapping, paper products, and pallet wrap amongst others in Namibia and also in Angola’s Benguela and Lubango areas.Konjore indicated that it is often said that the same properties that make plastic so useful to man, also cause plastic litter to be highly visible in the environment.Said Konjore: “It is important to understand that litter basically results from the irresponsible social attitudes, directly impacting on the authorities that have to clean other people’s waste, while indirectly having a negative impact on tourism and the numerous job opportunities it creates and support.Cleanliness is healthiness.We must keep our environment clean and healthy and thus our country and nation.”Recycling of plastic bags, bottles, crates and sheets has numerous spin-offs in the form of employment creation and import substitution, he said.Close to 100 people earn a living by collecting waste and sell it to NPR.The company has already assisted a number of small businessmen to set up collecting points in Ondangwa, Oshakati, Grootfontein, Otavi and Luderitz.Konjore said it also provides some downstream industries with a reliable source of raw material on their doorsteps.To this end, Konjore said, the recycling of plastic and waste management should be effectively carried out at all levels of Government structures.This dictates that local municipality officials must be trained in waste management; local authorities must promote recycling and collection of waste; earth care clubs or environmental clubs should be established at all schools so that children can learn to prevent pollution by controlling waste; and waste should be treated as possible revenue streams and an opportunity for job creation.Public awareness campaigns should encourage individual consumers and households to help achieve sustainable waste management through producing less waste, buying products made from recycled materials, separating waste for recycling and home composting, and taking part in local debates on waste management, Konjore urged.He noted that campaigns such as “National Waste Awareness” should be initiated in order to raise awareness about waste and recycling issues.NPR also works closely with other established waste collectors such as Move-A-Mess, Rent-A-Drum and Kleentek in the capital as well as Westcoast Recyclers in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund to ensure a steady flow of waste plastic for recycling.NPR, which employs a total of 45 workers, collects bottles (two litre Coke bottles and mineral water bottles), which are baled and sold to a South African based recycler.Nampa