Polyco marks R37 million paid to communities and 31 million kg of waste diverted from landfills
As South Africa kicks off National Clean-up and Recycle SA Week (15–20 September 2025), Polyco is proud to announce record achievements under its flagship Packa-Ching programme – a bold initiative tackling plastic pollution and poverty at the same time.
With support from Sasol and Shoprite, Packa-Ching has now paid out more than R37 million directly to communities and diverted over 31 million kilograms of recyclable waste from landfills. These results have been made possible by 47 mobile buy-back centres that bring recycling infrastructure and cashless rewards directly to South Africa’s underserved communities.
“We are thrilled to celebrate these milestones during National Recycling Week,” said Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco. “It shows what’s possible when we combine innovation, community action and industry collaboration, creating real environmental impact and real economic benefit.”
National Clean-up and Recycle SA Week is a collaborative annual campaign, driven by the local plastics industry and supported by government, retailers and packaging producers. It encourages households, schools and businesses to clean up their surroundings and recycle responsibly, with the week culminating in National Recycling Day (19 September), World Clean-Up Day and International Coastal Clean-Up (20 September), and Zero Emissions Day (21 September).
The week serves as a reminder that recycling is not just about waste, it’s also about jobs, dignity and access to opportunity through the creation of a circular economy. Launched in 2017, Packa-Ching exemplifies this vision. By using Polyco’s WeighPay app, the programme enables transparent, cashless payments for recyclables via shopping vouchers, while capturing real-time data to inform broader Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and waste planning efforts.
In 2024 alone, Packa-Ching grew its national footprint by launching 13 new six-metre Packa-Ching units and five Packa-Ching Lite units across provinces including the Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, North West, Western Cape, Limpopo, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. Each unit is run by a local recycling enterprise whose staff receive training and support to ensure long-term sustainability and local ownership.
Packa-Ching’s success forms part of Polyco’s broader impact under the EPR framework. In total, Polyco members diverted over 219,000 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill in 2024 alone, and more than 458,000 tonnes since the inception of EPR in 2022 – a major contribution to South Africa’s circular economy goals.
“Packa-Ching shows that EPR is working, not just on paper, but in people’s lives,” Pillay added. “It is a clear example of how the producers who place packaging on the market can take real responsibility for its lifecycle, and in doing so, create a cleaner, more inclusive future for South Africa.”
