The impending Section 18 regulations of the Waste Act are set to permanently alter the operating landscape for many South African industries – with a significant shift from voluntary to mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). EPR means producers will be legally obligated to take financial and/or operational responsibility for collecting, sorting and treating their … [Read more...]
New recycling project to create jobs in Limpopo
Residents in northern Limpopo are becoming eco warriors, thanks to a new campaign which aims to see environmental waste reduced and much-needed jobs created at the same time. A “separation at source” project is being rolled out in the towns of Thohoyandou and Sibasa in Limpopo’s Thulamela Municipality, thanks to a sponsorship of 200 waste separation bins worth over R160,000 … [Read more...]
Tips for keeping SA paper waste out of the landfill
In 2018, South Africa recovered 1.285 million tonnes of recyclable paper products, putting the country’s paper recovery rate at 71.7%. This is according to Anele Sololo, general manager of the country’s paper recycling association, RecyclePaperZA, who adds that this rate is well above the global average of 59.3%. If baled, 1.285 million tonnes of paper and paper packaging … [Read more...]
Plans to up the recycling of polystyrene
The Polystyrene Association of South Africa unveiled exciting plans to increase the collection and recycling rate of post-consumer polystyrene. “We have had phenomenal success with our various recycling projects over the last 11 years. During the 2017-2018 financial year, more than 6 300 tons of polystyrene were successfully diverted from our country’s landfills. When … [Read more...]
IDC boosts young rural entrepreneurs
Siyabonga Tshabalala and Nomuntu Ndhlovu took the decision to leave their corporate jobs in Gauteng and go back home to their rural village of Steenbok in Mpumalanga, to start a business. Both aged 27, the pair now run SiyaBuddy, a recycling and waste management company that has now created 18 direct jobs and 541 indirect jobs in their community in the Nkomazi Local … [Read more...]
Community-run recycling initiative receives much-needed equipment
The Tembisa Self Help Association of the Disabled (T-SHAD) is a community based development programme initiated in 1990. PETCO is supporting the great work undertaken by T-SHAD through the sponsorship of much-needed protective equipment and recycling infrastructure. T-SHAD established a self-help factory with various income generating projects where people with … [Read more...]
How to grow your recycling business
More than 80 enthusiastic attendees joined WMRIG (the Waste Minimisation and Recycling Interest Group), Western Cape at this free information-sharing and networking event, held at Philippi Village on Thursday 12 October. Informative and encouraging presentations were given by the Product Responsibility Organisations, PETCO (the PET Plastic Recycling Company), Polyco (the … [Read more...]
The future of plastics
It all starts with one. One bottle. One Consumer. And essentially one core message – we only have one world and it’s up to all of us to look after it. One type of plastic that is recycled more than any other in this country is PET, thanks to PETCO, who celebrates its 12th Anniversary this year. They have worked with the plastics industry, community members, … [Read more...]
Sort according to colours for better recycling business
How will recyclers weather current challenges on the ground, like a lack of access to markets and buyers of their materials? These and other crucial issues faced in the recycling sector were discussed and information shared during a workshop hosted by PETCO in Polokwane on 3 July 2014. The well attended workshop was aimed at sharing information about waste management and … [Read more...]
Joburg pushing ahead with waste reclaimers
“Empowering waste reclaimers is one of the many ways that the City of Johannesburg has chosen to minimise waste to landfill and to create sustainable jobs while making Johannesburg a world class city” said Councillor JJ Thomo at the launch of the City of Johannesburg Waste Reclaimers Empowerment Project. PETCO is pleased to be a part of the City of Johannesburg Waste … [Read more...]
Waste management bringing sustainability into the mainstream
The PET Recycling Company (Pty) Ltd (PETCO) was proud to play a part in the Better Together Games hosted by Western Cape Government (WCG) on Friday 25 October 2013. The event, hosted at the University of the Western Cape campus, attracted close on 10 000 officials and is one of the most popular and well attended events on the Western Cape Government calendar. This event … [Read more...]
One year’s PET recycling saves 75,000 tons of carbon emissions
PETCO’s Annual General Meeting took place on Wednesday, 28 August at the SAB World of Beer in Newtown, Johannesburg. The event was well attended by close on 100 stakeholders, shareholders and friends and was an opportunity for the PETCO Board and Management team to report back on the PETCO model and activities that contributed to the increased recovery and recycling of PET … [Read more...]
E-cycling made easy!
Electronic waste, e-waste, refers to electronic devices which have reached the end of their life cycle. They might be broken, outdated or otherwise no longer useful and therefore discharged. This waste can cause serious damage to the environment if not treated in an appropriate way. In Paarl there is a social enterprise called ECYCLE, who offers a way to safely recycle any … [Read more...]
