Packaging specialist Nampak has become the first company in South Africa to be awarded ISO 50001: 201, which specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy management system.
“Nampak’s sustainability depends on its ability to produce packaging that is economically, socially and environmentally friendly. The company is aware that the benefits of packaging have to be balanced with the depletion of natural resources, the generation of packaging waste, the efficient use of energy and its carbon footprint,” says Nampak CEO Gareth Griffiths.
The certification, which was awarded in November by independent certification services group SGS South Africa, is available to any organisation wanting to ensure that it conforms to its stated energy policy and that it follows a systematic approach in achieving continual improvement of energy performance, including energy efficiency, use and consumption.
“Glass packaging is an energy-intensive business and although active energy management practices are applied at Nampak Glass, the systematic processes and procedures of ISO 50001:2011 will enhance further energy efficient practices,” Griffiths notes.
The certification will help ensure that Nampak saves on energy use during the glass manufacturing process by implementing energy efficient, innovative designs and by creating energy-consumption awareness throughout the operation.
To improve energy efficiency, reduce costs and, ultimately, improve the carbon footprint of Nampak, the company will use the latest energy efficient technology at its third furnace.
“Using preheater technology on the furnace later this year is projected to reduce energy consumption during the batch-melting process. The increased heat content in flue gas from aging furnaces can be recovered by the preheater,” Griffiths notes.
The preheater technology will use exhaust gases, which would otherwise have been released into the atmosphere, to preheat raw material prior to it entering the furnace, thereby reducing the energy required to melt the new raw material.
The water recovery system will also be installed, enabling more effective waste management and more energy efficient water recycling at the plant.
“Nampak participates in extensive recycling initiatives and continues to invest significant time and resources into the development of more sustainable products,” says Griffiths, adding that the development of innovative packaging, which is lighter and contains a higher proportion of recyclable content, enables Nampak to contribute significantly to the reduction of packaging waste and resource use.
Nampak is also certified with SABS with regard to FSSC 22000, PAS 223, ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001.
The company is implementing ISO 22301:2012 and aims to get certification for the system this year. The ISO 22301:2012 provides a framework for organisations to prepare for handling any type of disruption using business continuity management systems.