On October 6, the country’s plastics recycling infrastructure received a major boost with the official launch of Extrupet’s second PET bottle-to-bottle recycling facility – and the first of its kind in the Western Cape.
This state-of-the-art facility, at the company’s Propet plant in Cape Town, started commercial production in March this year, and is set to add 15 000 tonnes of recycled PET (rPET) plastic to the market per year.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said plastic pollution was not only an environmental crisis, but also a public health emergency that harmed communities and threatened ecosystems.
The Minister said South Africa was at the forefront of the global process to end plastic pollution.
“Through the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, we are advocating for a legally binding instrument that covers the full life cycle of plastics, from design and production, through consumption, reuse and disposal.”
Although these negotiations had stalled, he said South Africa would lead by example, with the government creating an enabling regulatory environment, and industry players like Extrupet making it real through investment in increased recycling capacity.
“This facility is more than bricks and machinery, it is a symbol of how South Africa can turn a crisis into an opportunity. It shows that with clear policy, vision and partnership, plastic waste can be transformed from a burden on our environment into a driver of jobs, innovation and inclusive growth.”
He said that PET was one of the most visible and valuable plastics in the waste stream, providing an income and dignity for many South African waste pickers and small businesses.
“If we collect PET properly, it supports livelihoods and builds enterprises. If we do not, it ends up in landfills, rivers and oceans. That is the choice before us, and this facility tilts the balance towards opportunity.”
