Plastic bags can have various negative impacts on the environment, hence Tuffy has partnered with WWF SA in an effort to drive education and awareness around plastic waste. According to the World Economic Forum report, by 2050, there may be more plastic in the ocean than fish.
The amount of plastic waste has ballooned in recent times and found its way into the environment at a tragic cost to South Africa’s natural heritage and wildlife. Tuffy pioneered the refuse bag-on-a-roll concept in the country and has subsequently focused on incorporating recycled content in plastics manufacturing.
The company has been producing regular grocery carrier bags for retailers using 100% recycled material, with the same certification standard as their refuse bags. On average Tuffy recycles 544,311 kilograms of plastic per month, which is the weight of approximately 113 elephants.
It was the first organisation in the country to be certified for using 100% recycled material in its refuse bags (75% of the recycled content is post-consumer waste) and the first to receive accreditation from an international product verification company to verify the claim 100% recycled.
For every pack of Tuffy refuse bags sold, the South African packaging manufacturer company will donate a portion of refuse bags’ sales in support of the vital conservation work done by WWF SA. This pledge is also underpinned by Tuffy’s role as a founding member of the SA Plastics Pact, a national initiative developed by the WWF SA in 2019 whereby various key stakeholders have set a series of ambitious 2025 targets to establish a circular plastics economy for South Africa.
“We are delighted to be partnering with WWF SA in amplifying the need for increased knowledge around sustainability issues. At a time when ecological awareness is more important than ever, it is our responsibility as manufacturers to drive forward environmental goals and effect real change which can be facilitated even further with collaboration across the board,” said Rory Murray, Tuffy Marketing Head.
