Everywhere you look nowadays, we are being told to reduce, reuse, and recycle, so we thought we would compile some information for you on the recycling companies and associations in South Africa, and the main type of products they can accept for recycling.
Food Waste
We suggest that consumers purchase more carefully and make use of all the food that they buy. But for scraps, peelings and unavoidable food waste, you can always start a compost heap. If you would prefer to recycle outside your home, here are some solutions.
Earth Probiotic
This company now offers a bokashi food waste collection services for households in certain areas of Johannesburg, in addition to their commercial services.
https://www.earthprobiotic.co.za/Food_Waste_Recycling_Solutions/Household_Food_Waste_Composting/
Ywaste
This company specialises in Food Waste Management Services for large-scale food waste.
https://www.ywaste.co.za/our-services/
Urban Farms
This company offers both commercial and residential solutions for food waste disposal.
https://www.urbanfarms.co.za/
Oricoles
Apart from a range of other recycling and environmental services, Oricoles offers composting and food waste services too.
https://www.oricoles.co.za/services/composting-food-waste/
Paper
The Paper Recycling Association Of South Africa (PRASA):
https://www.thepaperstory.co.za/paper-recycling-explained/
PRASA also have a useful website tool at bottom of this page, to help you source a location near you:
https://www.thepaperstory.co.za/how-where-to-recycle/#where
Mpact Limited:
https://www.mpact.co.za/
Rhino Recycling:
https://rhinorecycling.co.za/
Glass
The Glass Recycling Company (TGRC)
TGRC is South Africa’s official organisation for promoting glass recycling:
https://theglassrecyclingcompany.co.za/
Consol Glass
https://www.consol.co.za/why-glass/recycling
Rhino Recycling
https://rhinorecycling.co.za/
Plastic
South African Plastics Recycling Organisation
https://www.plasticrecyclingsa.co.za/
There are many different contacts and companies within the different provinces, check out who is in yours:
https://www.plasticrecyclingsa.co.za/where-to-recycle/
PETCO
https://petco.co.za/
Polyco
https://www.polyco.co.za/about-polyco/
Mpact Limited
https://www.mpact.co.za/
Rhino Recycling
https://rhinorecycling.co.za/
Atlantic Plastic Recycling
http://www.atlanticplasticrecycling.co.za/
ALPLA
https://www.alpla.com/en/capabilities/recycling
Metal
SA Metal Group
Available in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria
https://www.sametal.co.za/
Collect-a-Can
https://www.collectacan.co.za/
Rhino Recycling
https://rhinorecycling.co.za/
Universal Recycling Company (Pty) Ltd
https://www.urc.co.za/
Star Recycling Company
https://src.co.za/
A bit of everything
National Recycling Forum (NRF)
Cans, glass, paper, plastic, oils, e-waste, drums and aerosols – they take it all!
https://www.recycling.co.za/
Informal Recycling
Don’t forget, if you don’t have time to get your recycling to these places, there will be informal waste collectors in your streets – so make sure to keep your recycling separate so that they don’t have to rummage through your bins!