Despite these efforts, South Africa faces a significant challenge, with nearly half a million tons of plastic waste polluting the environment annually, prompting the formation of the South African Plastic Pact to promote sustainable packaging practices.

As part of its recycling initiatives, Cape Town's Think Twice programme provides a free weekly door-to-door collection service for recyclables to nearly 180,000 households, setting a national standard for recycling services in South Africa.

To further bolster these efforts, a new multi-million-rand MRF is being developed at Coastal Park landfill near Muizenberg, which will serve an additional 27,000 households.

The Kraaifontein MRF has been operational for years, effectively sorting recyclables and reintegrating them into the recycling industry.

In September 2024, Cape Town opened a R300-million polyethylene terephthalate (PET) processing plant that recycles used PET bottles into new products, further supporting sustainable practices.

At a recent awards event, the top recognition was awarded to a fully recycled polypropylene bleach bottle made from over 200 tons of recycled plastic, now available at major retailers like Shoprite and Checkers.

The SAPRO awards highlighted the importance of incorporating recycled content into consumer products to stimulate demand and enhance recycling processes.

Cape Town's recycling efforts were acknowledged at the SAPRO awards, which celebrated innovative recycled products and their impact.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is also a key component of the recycling strategy, requiring manufacturers to pay levies to fund the recovery and recycling of plastic waste.

These initiatives collectively reflect Cape Town's commitment to environmental sustainability and the economic benefits derived from a robust circular economy.

The City of Cape Town is taking significant steps to enhance plastics recycling by establishing materials recovery facilities (MRFs) aimed at reducing plastic waste and promoting a circular economy.