Pamsa
Associations in Johannesburg

We rely on paper for education, board, paper, travel and fun – we even use it for money.
Any employer involved in the manufacture of pulp, business, tissue and recycled paper may hold PAMSA membership.

Some of its members rank among the top 20 pulp producers in the world, making the South African pulp and paper manufacturing sector robust, well regulated and highly developed. Even though some of our industry members have global footprints, their origins are firmly rooted in this country, as forest and land owners, and pulp and paper producers. With our member companies continually striving to improve the way they do business, PAMSA supports their efforts by bringing them together on pre-competitive issues of mutual concern. These include education and training, energy production and use, water and waste, and research and development. As a platform for engagement on common views and industry challenges, PAMSA has the active member participation at an executive and operational level as well as on its education and environmental committees. Sustainability, growth and competitiveness cannot be mutually exclusive. Striking that crucial balance between people, planet and profit is an ongoing challenge, especially in the face of the global economic turbulence. As an industry we focus on conscientious environmental stewardship, resource efficiency and innovation. Paper can be made from virgin fibre (wood of new trees), recovered fibre (recycled paper) and bagasse (waste from sugar cane processing). This is what makes the paper products that we source from wood renewable. At an environmental level, working forests are good for the environment, providing clean air, clean water, wildlife habitats; renewable, carbon-neutral energy and carbon storage. At a socio-economic level, the growing and harvesting of trees, making paper products and recycling them provides sustainable jobs for millions. South Africa is a water-scarce country with limited hectares of land available for timber plantations which is why paper recycling has always been essential to ensure a sustainable local paper industry. Conversely, we will always need an injection of virgin fibre into the paper recycling process as paper is not infinitely recyclable. If it gets wet or dirty, it starts to degrades and loses its value and quality. Big and small companies as well as informal collectors make money (and employ people) through the recovery and processing of clean, quality recyclable paper. Add to this the jobs of those who design, manufacture and operate advanced technologies that make paper recycling possible. A tonne of recycled paper can save up to three cubic metres of landfill space and is used to make new paper products that we use every day. Paper buried in a landfill after mixing with other waste will degrade and release gases such as methane, which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. A small commitment to recycling will make a big difference to our country. The Paper Recycling Association of South Africa (PRASA) is a subsidiary of PAMSA. It focuses on the procurement of recycled paper for re-manufacture and its activities cover the entire spectrum from paper recovery, collection and sorting to processing. PRASA advocates for improved paper recycling and waste separation habits in homes, schools and businesses through a multitude of channels and activities.