Polyco’s Packa-Ching pays communities US$2.13M, diverts 31m kg of waste from landfills

SOUTH AFRICA – As South Africa marks National Clean-up and Recycle SA Week (15–20 September 2025), recycling non-profit Polyco is celebrating a double milestone: more than R37 million (US$2.13 million) paid directly to communities and 31 million kilograms of waste diverted from landfills through its Packa-Ching programme.

Launched in 2017 with the support of Sasol and Shoprite, Packa-Ching uses mobile buy-back centres to bring recycling infrastructure into underserved areas.

To date, 47 mobile units have been deployed, allowing households to exchange recyclable waste for cashless rewards via Polyco’s WeighPay app.

Payments are made in the form of shopping vouchers, ensuring transparency and safety, while also generating real-time data to guide waste management and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) strategies.

“This milestone is especially meaningful during National Recycling Week,” said Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco.

“It proves that innovation and collaboration can address plastic pollution while improving livelihoods in vulnerable communities.”

National Clean-up and Recycle SA Week is a long-standing industry-led campaign supported by government, retailers, and packaging producers.

The initiative encourages households, schools, and businesses to recycle responsibly, culminating in National Recycling Day (September 19), World Clean-Up Day (September 20), and Zero Emissions Day (September 21).

Expanding footprint

In 2024, Packa-Ching expanded rapidly, rolling out 13 new six-metre mobile units and five smaller Packa-Ching Lite units across seven provinces, including Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape.

Each unit is run by a local enterprise, providing training and creating jobs while keeping value within communities.

The approach has not only cleaned up waste hotspots but also boosted income opportunities for informal recyclers, a group often excluded from formal economic structures.

By diverting millions of kilograms of waste, Packa-Ching has contributed to reducing landfill pressure in urban and peri-urban centres.

The initiative is part of Polyco’s broader mandate under South Africa’s EPR regulations, which require producers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their packaging.

In 2024 alone, Polyco members diverted over 219,000 tonnes of plastic from landfill, bringing the total to more than 458,000 tonnes since EPR came into force in 2022.

“Packa-Ching shows that EPR is not just policy on paper but a driver of real impact,” Pillay noted.

“It’s building a cleaner environment while creating dignity, opportunity, and ownership in our communities.”

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