Community-led recycling pilots launch in Cape Town

These projects reduce landfill waste, create income opportunities, and support entrepreneurship at the local level

To mark Clean-up and Recycling Week SA 2025, the City of Cape Town has launched a series of innovative, community-led waste minimisation and recycling pilot projects in vulnerable communities.

The initiative is spearheaded by Alderman Grant Twigg, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management.

The City said while households generate most waste, many areas, especially informal settlements, lack effective recycling or separation-at-source options. These new pilots aim to fill that gap by empowering communities to lead their own recycling efforts.

The projects will be driven by local volunteers, who will collect recyclables from door to door and run education campaigns to promote waste reduction. The pilots are made feasible by collaborations between local communities and Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs).

Twigg said this is an example of how the City, communities and private sector can work together to build cleaner, greener, and more sustainable neighbourhoods. 

“These projects reduce landfill waste, create income opportunitie, and support entrepreneurship at the local level,” he said.

Residents and businesses urged to back community recycling initiatives

Two Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), Polyco and Metpac, are supporting the pilots by:

• Supplying Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and collection bags,
• Connecting projects to recyclers and material buyers,
• Providing training, technical support and infrastructure, and
• Reporting monthly on the volume of waste diverted.

Residents are urged to support the initiative by cooperating with volunteers and embracing separation at source as part of their daily routine.

“Partnerships like these are essential for building long-term, community-driven recycling systems. We encourage local businesses to get involved by offering prizes and incentives to further boost participation and growth,” said Twigg.

And in KZN

Meanwhile, the eThekwini Waste Materials Recovery Industry Development Centre (USE-IT) programme will receive an additional R570,000 in financing.

According to the Economic Development and Planning Committee’s report, USE-IT is one of the few municipal projects that expressly promotes the development and growth of the waste economic sector.

The eThekwini Council adopted the amendment to the current Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which began on 1 January, 2025 and ends on 31 December, 2027.

“This is a robust foundation on which to build and expand the programme. The municipality has also recognised the importance of stimulating and supporting the green circular economy agenda through its various strategic positions as one of the potential key contributors to the local and national economy in eThekwini,” the committee stated in its report.

Cover photo:  City of Cape Town