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Recyclate can be used
to produce new products.

Every ton of plastic recycled
saves 5.7m3 landfill space.

Resources

SAPRO represents the plastics
re-processors in South Africa

Recycling Guidelines

Compared to Europe's 31.1% SA
has an input recycling rate of
46% for all plastics.

Events

By recycling we are reducing
the need for raw materials that
are used to produce more products.

Why Recycle

Welcome to SAPRO

About Us

The South African Plastics Recycling Organisation (SAPRO) represents the plastics re-processors in South Africa. Its members procure sorted, baled end-of-life plastics and re-process it into raw material. The recycled material can be used to manufacture new plastics products. South Africa is amongst the top recycling countries in the world. The Organisation is funded by its members and assists recyclers in Building a recycling industry that is respected and acknowledged by government, industry and the public.

Why Recycle?

Tackle the Landfill Crisis

In South Africa, the landfill capacity is fast becoming an impending crisis. With only 7.5% of South African’s recycling, we currently have over 90% of waste produced ending up in landfills.

Support Waste Pickers

Waste pickers saved government R748.8 million in 2014 through their informal recycling services. However, their value is not recognised.

Reduce Carbon Footprint

Recycling helps to reduce the production of waste, and thereby reduce the chemicals and gasses produced in landfills.

Local production

SA converted 1,842,745 tons of polymer (locally produced, imported and recycled) into plastics products. This was a decrease of 1.8% from the previous year. What is encouraging, however, was that recycled content made up 18% of these locally converted polymers. South Africa converted 337,745 tons of recycled material into new products.

Contribution to GDP

The recycling of plastic made a direct contribution to South Africa’s GDP of 2.3% and an 18.5% contribution to the Manufacturing GDP.

70% from landfill

More than 70% of all the recyclable plastic collected came from landfill and other post-consumer sources. Material was sourced as baled materials from the formal sector, collectors and waste management companies. Thanks to these successful collection and recycling operations, 2.2% less plastic waste ended up in landfill.

Tonnages Recycled

503 600 tons of plastics waste was collected for recycling. Of this, more than half was packaging – giving South Africa an input recycling rate of 45.7 %.

It Is Estimated

Through plastics recycling 58,750 income opportunities were created – which include waste pickers and employees of the smaller entrepreneurial collectors.; R2,065 billion was injected into the informal sector through the purchasing of recyclable plastics waste.

More than 300

Bona fide recyclers have been identified operating in South Africa; 20 % of the recyclers convert 70 % of the tonnages.

SAPRO News and Views

READ SAPRO SNIPPETS