South Africa reports further growth in plastics recycling

South Africa’s plastics recycling industry continued to expand in 2025, with recycled volumes increasing by 3% to around 485,000 tonnes across packaging, construction, agriculture, mining, automotive and consumer goods applications.

According to figures from Plastics SA, the increase came despite a 2.8% decline in virgin polymer use and lower domestic plastics consumption. The data suggests that recycled materials are taking a growing role in the country’s plastics economy as converters and manufacturers increase their use of secondary raw materials.

Circular content reaches 22% in new products

Circular plastics content in newly manufactured products has now reached 22%, compared with approximately 16% a decade ago. Over the same period, domestic consumption of recyclate has increased by 62%, indicating sustained investment in collection, processing and end markets.

More than 30% of recycled plastics are currently used by the packaging industry, making packaging one of the most important outlets for secondary polymers. Demand remains particularly strong for polypropylene, PET and HDPE in packaging applications.

Packaging supports material and product efficiency

The South African plastics industry is also highlighting the wider environmental role of plastic packaging. Lightweight formats can reduce transport-related emissions compared with heavier alternatives, while effective product protection can help prevent damage and food waste.

Plastic packaging is widely used to protect food, medicines and household products from contamination, moisture, physical damage and UV exposure. These functions mean that sustainability assessments increasingly consider the complete lifecycle of a packaging system rather than focusing exclusively on the material used.

Propak Cape to showcase recycling solutions

These developments will be a central theme at Propak Cape 2026, which will take place at the Cape Town International Conference Centre from 27 to 29 October. The event will showcase packaging, plastics, printing, labelling and food-processing technologies, with a strong emphasis on circularity and recycling.

The exhibition takes place every three years in the Western Cape and will incorporate Pro-Plas Expo, Print Expo, Pro-Label Expo and FoodPro, providing a broad platform for manufacturers, converters, recyclers and technology providers.

Sustainability runs through conference programme

The Institute of Packaging SA will host a programme of seminars covering new products and technologies, sustainability and automation. Producer Responsibility Organisations are also expected to participate, reflecting the growing importance of extended producer responsibility and recovery systems within the South African packaging market.

Printing SA will additionally host an industry conference, while the FTASA Print Excellence Awards will take place alongside the exhibition.

Recycling supports economic activity

Beyond its environmental role, plastics recycling is estimated to create around 111,000 income-generating opportunities across the South African value chain. This underlines the sector’s importance not only in reducing waste but also in supporting employment and local economic activity.

As recycled content increases and demand for circular materials grows, the packaging sector is expected to remain one of the main drivers of plastics recycling in South Africa. Propak Cape 2026 will provide an opportunity for the industry to present new technologies aimed at improving material recovery, processing efficiency and packaging performance.