Mpact Waste Management adds one of South Africa’s leading pharmaceutical brands to its stable

Since inception, Mpact Waste Management has prioritised developing solutions for businesses that seamlessly integrate a sustainable recycling model into their core business. The business has tailored and re-engineered its commercial waste management solutions, increasing its clients’ positive experience and providing an income stream for them.

In March 2021, Mpact Waste Management secured a contract to manage the distribution centre of one of South Africa’s leading pharmaceutical brands. It succeeded by pulling together the expertise between the two leading recycling brands – Mpact Waste Management and Mpact Recycling - with the ultimate focus being to keep both the client and its own Mpact mills happy.

The refined strategy aimed to consistently deliver commercial waste management solutions, using expert skillsets from both Mpact Recycling and Mpact Waste Management.

A well-co-ordinated effort

The proposal was a well-co-ordinated effort:

1. Material could be baled on-site, which was good, clean quality material. This meant that the client would receive an income from their recyclables.
2. Tonnage was secured at the source, which ensured that this material was continually fed to the mills, where needed.

An optimum recycling rate was achieved for the pharmaceutical brand during 2021, with a considerable number of recyclables baled and transported to various mills and branches during the year; whilst ensuring the client would still earn an income from the recyclables the Recycling business processed on site.

The benefits of efficient waste management

From a job creation perspective, a total of 10 new jobs in the form of on-site sorters were created. Existing site supervisors were employed who play a key role in the operations of the site, specifically assisting in training the staff from a logistics perspective.

The pharmaceutical company also benefitted from the safe disposal of redundant or expired stock. This is diverted from landfill by decanting this stock and diverting the organic component of the waste stream to a composting facility.

The composting facility is situated in Springfield, Gauteng to which the FMCG waste is transported and decanted. The organic components are turned into organic sludge that is then composted, delivering quality compost as a product, which is sold to the industry.

Training and skills transfer have been well underway with risk assessment done prior and during the operations to ensure all safety requirements are adhered to on site. To date, no incidents have been reported. This is another example of how Mpact Waste Management is driving ethical circular economic solutions and reducing waste going to landfill. Results so far have shown what these solutions can achieve in delivering cost-effective waste management solutions and converting waste into profit for companies of all sizes.

The client’s distribution centre is now a well-run and clean site at the end of every day, with great communication between all parties involved. Both businesses are mutually benefitting from the partnership, but most importantly, the onsite solution has successfully converted the waste portfolio of the client from a cost centre to a revenue generating centre.