Polyco is calling on South African citizens and businesses to recognise that the consumer rights they enjoy in the marketplace go hand in hand with responsibility for how products are disposed of after use.
Responsible consumption is not only about making informed purchasing decisions. It also includes understanding what happens to packaging once it becomes waste and ensuring that recyclables are separated from general refuse so they can be recovered rather than sent to landfill. Separating recyclables at home, at work and in communities remains one of the simplest and most effective actions individuals can take to support the country’s recycling system. But this behaviour can only deliver meaningful results when supported by the right infrastructure and systems.
This is where Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) plays a vital role. Through the EPR framework, packaging producers contribute to waste management efforts via Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) such as Polyco. These contributions enable the expansion of recycling infrastructure, stronger collection networks, support for waste reclaimers and ongoing public education, ensuring that households and businesses who want to recycle are actually able to do so.
Since the introduction of EPR regulations in 2022, Polyco has recorded a 544% increase in the tonnes of recyclables diverted from landfill, demonstrating the growing impact of industry-funded recovery efforts. In 2025 alone, Polyco diverted 290 000 tons of plastic from the environment, supported more than 16 000 waste pickers, partnered with 130 buy-back centres and collectors and collaborated with over 300 converters nationwide.
Brand-owner members incorporated 48 000 tons of recycled material into packaging – a 50% increase from the previous year – supported by Polyco programmes that encourage the use of recycled content. At the same time, more than two-million learners were reached through recycling education initiatives.
“Recycling starts in our homes, workplaces and communities. Separating recyclable materials from general waste is one of the simplest and most effective ways citizens can support South Africa’s recycling system. But this can only really work when the necessary systems are in place to bring this responsibility to life,” said Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco.
Many of Polyco’s programmes focus on bringing recycling opportunities closer to communities. Packa-Ching, the mobile buyback initiative, is one example. Operating directly in underserved areas, it has injected more than R50-million into local economies by paying residents and reclaimers for over 41-million kilograms of collected recyclable waste.
Through these initiatives, Polyco is working to ensure that responsible consumption is supported by accessible, practical recycling opportunities throughout South Africa.