Polyco, in partnership with the City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Watse Management Alderman Grant Twigg, has launched a pilot community recycling hub in Scottsdene, Northpine and surrounding areas to strengthen household recycling and create income opportunities for residents.

Located at a local Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre, the hub will provide a safe, organised collection point for recyclables (see photos here).

Polyco has provided a fully equipped container to serve as the hub, together with protective clothing, recycling trolleys, household separation bags, and branded materials to build awareness. Training has also been delivered to participants, covering practical recycling skills, safe collection practices, and small business development.

By embedding recycling infrastructure directly into the community, the initiative eases pressure on municipal waste services and landfills by supporting household-level separation at source and creating income opportunities through recycling.

“This pilot is about more than just recycling; it is about dignity and opportunity. By equipping local residents, especially women, with tools, training and support, we are helping to divert plastics away from municipal waste streams and ensure their recyclability. In doing so, we are building stronger, more inclusive communities and supporting South Africa’s circular economy,” said Lisl Doherty, Enterprise Development Manager at Polyco.

Beyond its immediate benefits, the hub is designed to serve as a model for similar projects elsewhere in Cape Town and across South Africa. Polyco will track recyclable material collected, jobs supported, and environmental impact, with a view to scaling the approach nationally.

“Partnerships like these are vital. They reduce pressure on the City’s services, create jobs and empower residents to protect the environment while strengthening Cape Town’s circular economy,” added Alderman Grant Twigg, MMC for Urban Waste Management.

This project forms part of Polyco’s broader mandate as one of South Africa’s leading Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) under the country’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.

EPR requires producers to take responsibility for the full lifecycle of their packaging by funding its recovery, recycling, and responsible disposal. Polyco manages these obligations on behalf of its 700-plus members, investing EPR fees into infrastructure, enterprise development, and partnerships like this one.

Since the inception of EPR in 2022, Polyco has diverted over 458,000 tonnes of plastic from landfill, invested more than R300 million into the plastics recycling and collection sector, and supported 216 projects nationwide.

This pilot hub builds on that momentum, linking local communities to national progress in reducing landfill dependence and advancing South Africa’s transition to a circular economy.

About Polyco South Africa

Polyco is a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) under South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations. It invests in initiatives that transform waste into economic resources by expanding plastic packaging collection and recycling. Collaborating with stakeholders, Polyco advances recycling infrastructure and educates consumers on sustainable waste management.