South African petrochemicals group Sasol supplied just under 144 000 t of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to the local industry last year, dropping from the near 150 000 t it supplied in 2013, reports the South African Vinyls Association (Sava).
Sasol also exported over 62 000 t of PVC powder compounds last year to 27 countries, with India receiv- ing 40.1%, Botswana 26.5% and Zimbabwe 9%.
Sava CEO Delanie Bezuidenhout highlights that, as the only PVC resin manufacturer in South Africa, Sasol plays a vital role in supplying to local PVC product manufacturers.
She adds that the petrochemicals giant was also integral to the formation of Sava in 2010, as Sasol “called industry players together and laid the foundation for a robust product stewardship programme (PSP)” – a series of commitments aimed at ensuring a sustainable vinyls industry, achievable through timeous delivery of raw materials, the responsible use of additives and supporting recycling initiatives.
Bezuidenhout explains that the PSP was developed owing to concerns about the way PVC is manufactured and the additives used to fabricate PVC products. “However, with the support of the entire value chain and the industry’s commitment to sustainability, Sava has been able to ensure a place in the market for PVC as an environmentally sound material.”
She adds that Sasol has been one of Sava’s most prominent financial supporters, which has been invaluable in terms of enabling the organisation to pursue its PSP objectives and to develop projects to grow existing and new markets for PVC.
“As the only local PVC resin manufacturer, it makes sense that Sasol takes the lead in the journey towards a more sustainable PVC industry. Sasol has set an example for others to follow by supplying resin that is sustainably manufactured, which also ensures that PVC products manufactured downstream comply with the standards stipulated in Sava’s PSP,” Bezuidenhout asserts.