SOUTH AFRICA PLASTICS: FROM RECYCLING TO (POST-CONSUMER) RECYCLATE

The report identifies a lack of demand for post-consumer recyclate (PCR) and poor packaging design as primary barriers to a circular plastics economy in South Africa. It highlights a fragmented value chain where brand owners and retailers hold the most influence but often prioritize cost and marketing over sustainability. The study emphasizes the need for mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations to fund infrastructure, integrate informal waste collectors, and incentivize the shift from virgin polymers to recycled content.

• Food packaging presents a major challenge for circularity due to strict food-contact safety standards and the high cost of recyclate compared to virgin plastic resins.
• Brand owners and retailers are identified as the most influential stakeholders for systemic change, particularly under extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations where they are classified as "producers".
• There is significant inertia in the value chain driven by market protectionism from virgin polymer producers and converters, combined with a lack of design for recycling and low demand for recycled content from brand owners.
• Packaging design for brand owners and retailers is primarily governed by cost and marketing requirements, such as bright colours and a variety of formats, rather than circularity or recycling criteria.
• Consumers face structural barriers to recycling, including a lack of separation at source (s@s) infrastructure and inconsistent or non-existent on-pack recycling labels from brand owners.
• The waste sector is economically precarious; informal reclaimers are not economically included and absorb most economic losses from price fluctuations, which threatens the overall supply of plastic recyclables.
• Recyclers struggle to invest in quality improvements and stable volumes due to limited access to loans and insurance, as well as a lack of consistent demand for recyclate.
• Governmental support has been lacking, with local government by-laws inhibiting material access and a general lack of financial and operational capacity to support the circular economy.
• Producer responsibility organisations (PROs) are hindered by limited membership, a lack of collaboration between different PROs, and boards that may prioritize specific member agendas over general recycling goals.
• Virgin polymer producers are perceived as not doing enough to drive PCR uptake, as they are heavily invested in fossil-derived resins and often view recycling as a low-return investment.

APA

van Os, E., de Kock, L., Labuschagne, L., & Modau, I. (2021). SOUTH AFRICA PLASTICS: FROM RECYCLING TO (POST-CONSUMER) RECYCLATE. WWF South Africa. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/barriers_to_plastics.pdf

Chicago

van Os, Eddie, Lorren de Kock, Lia Labuschagne, and Innocentia Modau. SOUTH AFRICA PLASTICS: FROM RECYCLING TO (POST-CONSUMER) RECYCLATE. WWF South Africa, 2021. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/barriers_to_plastics.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=van Os |first1=Eddie |last2=de Kock |first2=Lorren |last3=Labuschagne |first3=Lia |last4=Modau |first4=Innocentia |title=SOUTH AFRICA PLASTICS: FROM RECYCLING TO (POST-CONSUMER) RECYCLATE |publisher=WWF South Africa |date=2021 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/barriers_to_plastics.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vanos2021south, author = {van Os, Eddie and de Kock, Lorren and Labuschagne, Lia and Modau, Innocentia}, title = {{SOUTH AFRICA PLASTICS: FROM RECYCLING TO (POST-CONSUMER) RECYCLATE}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2021}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/barriers_to_plastics.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }