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

This 2021 report by WWF South Africa examines the barriers to a circular plastics economy in South Africa. It identifies a lack of demand for post-consumer recyclate (PCR), poor packaging design for recycling, and systemic inertia among virgin polymer producers and converters as primary obstacles. The report highlights the vulnerability of informal waste collectors and the lack of infrastructure for separation at source. It recommends that brand owners and retailers drive demand for PCR, that the government implement extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations, and that PROs collaborate more effectively to fund infrastructure and innovation.

• Food packaging presents significant challenges for recycling and PCR inclusion due to strict food-contact safety standards and the higher cost of recyclate compared to virgin plastic resins.
• Brand owners, government, and retailers are identified as the stakeholders with the most influence to shift the system, particularly under extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations where brand owners and retailers are classified as "producers".
• Systemic inertia exists across the value chain, driven by market protectionist strategies from virgin polymer producers and converters, a lack of design for recycling, and poor demand for recycled content from retailers and brand owners.
• Packaging design for brand owners and retailers is primarily driven by cost and marketing requirements (such as bright colours and various formats) rather than circularity, with very few having formal packaging policies for recycling or PCR inclusion.
• Consumers face structural barriers to recycling, including a lack of separation at source (s@s) infrastructure and inconsistent or non-transparent on-pack labelling from brand owners and retailers.
• The waste sector is economically fragile; informal reclaimers are not economically included and are highly vulnerable to price fluctuations, while the system incentivises the collection of only high-value items.
• 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 be dominated by agendas not conducive to recycling.
• Past large capital investments in non-circular packaging equipment have created resistance among converters and brand owners to redesign packaging or invest in new processes.

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} }