Award-winning recycled PVC products

Recycled PVC products stole the spotlight at the 2024 Best Recycled Plastic Product of the Year Awards, announced in September at a gala dinner 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 and Waste Plan.

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 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 its range of interlocking floor tiles made from recycled PVC, rounded off the category taking home Bronze. The company was commended for the versatility and ease of installation of the tiles in both commercial and residential projects.

Monique Hinds, CEO of the Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA), was so excited about the accomplishments of the PVC industry.

“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 perceive PVC as non-recyclable. Accolades such as the SAPRO Awards are crucial in changing this perception. They highlight industry’s innovation and commitment to reducing waste and unlocking the value hidden in recycled plastics.”