Polyco partners with local firms to launch Prince Albert Recycling Group

SOUTH AFRICA – Polyco, in partnership with the Prince Albert Municipality and the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, has launched the Prince Albert Recycling Group.

The new group is an integrated recycling initiative designed to strengthen local waste systems across the Karoo.

The project links community- and school-based recycling collection with municipal landfill operations, creating a coordinated local model that combines environmental education, infrastructure investment and enterprise development.

At the core of the initiative is a new recycling hub established at the Prince Albert landfill site. The facility is operated by Green Dump Recycling, a local service provider formalized through the program.

The official handover took place on February 4, with representatives from government and industry in attendance.

Four schools are participating in the program: Prince Albert Primary School, Leeu Gamka Primary School, Klaarstroom Primary School and Teske Gedenk Primary School in Beaufort West.

Each school has received a dedicated recycling activation package, including educational booklets and source-separation equipment such as bulk bags, bins and holders manufactured from recycled plastics.

The initiative is expected to reach more than 2,800 learners and 80 educators. By teaching learners to separate recyclables at source and linking participation to tangible outcomes, the program aims to reinforce correct recycling behaviour while demonstrating the economic value of waste.

Beyond environmental impact, the initiative is structured to deliver measurable socio-economic benefits in a region facing limited employment opportunities.

The project has created six direct jobs within participating schools, sustained four ongoing roles through a local collector in Beaufort West and formalised three landfill waste reclaimers into a registered enterprise under Green Dump Recycling.

Polyco enterprise development manager Lisl Doherty said the project provides a replicable model for rural municipalities.

“This collaboration shows how local government, industry and communities can work together to turn waste into a vehicle for building sustainable local recycling systems that deliver social and environmental value,” she noted.

Prince Albert Deputy Mayor Sydney Koonthea added that the initiative strengthens municipal waste services in a rural context by combining infrastructure support with community participation.

Polyco indicated that it plans to expand the model beyond Prince Albert and the Western Cape, working with additional municipalities and provincial authorities to scale integrated recycling systems across South Africa.

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