How to Recycle Plastic in South Africa: A Simple Guide
Updated 2026-07-04 · 7 min read
Not all plastics are equal. Knowing your resin codes and preparing plastics correctly makes them far more likely to be recycled rather than landfilled. Here's a practical, South-Africa-focused walkthrough.
Know your resin codes
The number inside the chasing-arrows symbol (1–7) tells you the plastic type. The most widely recycled in South Africa are:
- 1 — PET (bottles, food trays): widely recycled
- 2 — HDPE (milk bottles, containers): widely recycled
- 4 — LDPE (bags, film): recycled by specialists
- 5 — PP (tubs, closures): increasingly recycled
Prepare plastics the right way
- Empty and lightly rinse containers
- Leave labels on (processors remove them)
- Squash bottles and replace caps
- Keep plastics dry and separate from food waste
What usually can't go in kerbside recycling
- Polystyrene (6) in many areas
- Multilayer packaging (chip packets, some pouches)
- Heavily contaminated or food-soaked plastic
Find a verified recycler
Use the Plastics & Packaging waste stream to find providers near you. Each listing shows whether it is listed, under review, verified or certified — so you can choose a credible partner.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to remove bottle caps?
No — leave caps on and squash the bottle. Modern processes separate caps during recycling, and loose caps are too small to be sorted.
Are chip packets recyclable?
Usually not through kerbside collection — they're multilayer materials. Look for specialist take-back schemes; some providers accept them.