South Africa moves to modernize packaging waste policy with draft NWMS 2026

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa has taken a further step toward modernizing its waste and packaging policy framework with the publication of the Draft National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) 2026 by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).

The draft strategy, now open for public comment, sets out updated national priorities that could shape packaging waste management and extended producer responsibility (EPR) implementation over the next five years.

Gazetted on 19 December 2025 under Government Gazette No. 53894 in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008 (NEMWA), the draft NWMS 2026 serves as South Africa’s overarching waste policy blueprint.

It is designed to guide waste reduction, resource recovery and circular economy outcomes across the country, replacing the current strategy once adopted.

The proposed framework places strong emphasis on waste minimization, circular economy principles and the delivery of sustainable waste services.

It is structured around several strategic pillars, including circular economy and waste minimization, effective and inclusive waste services, capacity building, and improved compliance monitoring and enforcement.

While the strategy addresses multiple waste streams, packaging waste features prominently due to its significant contribution to general waste volumes.

For the packaging sector, the draft NWMS 2026 reinforces the policy direction toward reduced material use, improved recyclability and higher recovery rates.

Although the strategy does not amend existing EPR regulations, it aligns national waste policy more closely with circular economy objectives that underpin South Africa’s EPR system.

Under current regulations, producers and importers of packaging are required to register with a recognized Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) and finance or implement systems for the collection, sorting and recycling of post-consumer packaging waste.

The NWMS 2026 strengthens the policy context around these obligations, potentially influencing future targets, reporting expectations and compliance approaches as government seeks more measurable waste reduction outcomes.

Industry stakeholders are being encouraged to engage actively in the consultation process. The public comment period runs until mid-February 2026, after which the DFFE will review submissions and refine the strategy ahead of anticipated adoption later in the year.

Once finalized, the NWMS 2026 will replace the previous national strategy and provide updated guidance for regulators, municipalities and the private sector.

The move mirrors broader international trends toward tighter oversight of packaging waste. In Singapore, for example, the Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR) framework under the Resource Sustainability Act has been in effect since July 2020.

The scheme requires companies with annual turnover exceeding S$10 million to submit detailed packaging data and waste reduction plans, signaling a shift toward data-driven regulation.

For South African packaging producers, brand owners and importers, the draft NWMS 2026 underscores the need to monitor policy developments closely and integrate evolving waste and EPR requirements into long-term compliance and sustainability planning.

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