MetPac-SA: Advancing metal packaging recycling through industry collaboration
AS South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework continues to reshape the packaging landscape, industry bodies play a critical role in helping businesses navigate compliance while driving real environmental outcomes. MetPac-SA, the Metal Packaging Association of South Africa, has emerged as a key catalyst in this space, guiding the metal packaging industry towards a more circular and
sustainable future.
MetPac-SA is a registered Non-Profit Company and is formally registered with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) as a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO). Under EPR Registration Number 19/7/5/P/PRO/20210720/005, MetPac-SA is responsible for implementing South Africa’s metal packaging EPR strategy in alignment with Section 18 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (NEMWA).
As the recognised PRO for metal packaging, MetPac-SA represents producers, brand owners, importers and converters of aluminium and tinplate (ferrous) packaging in South Africa, excluding 210-litre drums. From January 2024, its scope was expanded to include aluminium and steel aerosol packaging.
MetPac-SA’s mission is to establish the metal packaging industry as a meaningful contributor to sustainable development by investing in post-consumer metal packaging recovery and reutilisation. Through collaboration across the value chain, the organisation works to improve collection, recycling and data integrity, while supporting South Africa’s transition to a circular economy.
“Extended Producer Responsibility is not just about meeting regulatory requirements. It’s about industry taking collective responsibility for the full lifecycle of its products and investing in systems that deliver environmental, social and economic value,” says Dr Kishan Singh, CEO of MetPac-SA.
Delivering value through membership
Membership of MetPac-SA provides businesses with a compliant, transparent and credible route to meeting their EPR obligations, while unlocking shared value that would be difficult to achieve individually. Members benefit from centralised EPR reporting to the DFFE, audited financial governance, industry representation and targeted investment in collection, recycling and awareness initiatives.
These benefits were reinforced by the results of MetPac-SA’s first-ever Member Satisfaction Survey, which was conducted at the end of 2025. Results and feedback by members showed strong confidence in the organisation’s performance across all key areas.
Members rated regulatory compliance particularly highly, with the majority agreeing that MetPac-SA is meeting DFFE’s EPR targets across major material streams. Waste collection and recycling initiatives also scored strongly, reflecting the organisation’s partnerships with buy-back centres, recyclers, re-melters and municipalities.
Support for waste picker integration, including personal protective equipment, training and service-fee payments, was also recognised, alongside high levels of trust in MetPac-SA’s financial transparency and governance.
Driving circular outcomes
Beyond compliance, MetPac-SA’s work focuses on building long-term recovery and recycling systems for metal packaging, supported by education, innovation and data-driven decision-making.
MetPac-SA is open to membership applications from all role-players in the metal packaging value chain that place more than 10 tonnes of metal packaging on the market annually, in line with the EPR Regulations. Only declared member tonnages are reported to the DFFE for Section 18 EPR purposes.
As EPR continues to mature in South Africa, MetPac-SA demonstrates how organised industry collaboration can deliver compliance, credibility and measurable environmental impact. “Metal packaging is infinitely recyclable without loss of quality. Our role is to ensure that the systems are in place to keep that material in circulation and out of landfill,” Dr Singh concludes.
For more information visit www.metpacsa.org.za
