According to the South African Plastics Recycling Organisation, only 7,5% of South Africans actively recycle.
This is shocking and residents must become more aware of the importance of recycling. Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco, says many South Africans are unaware that there are seven distinct types of plastics. These are Polyethylene Terephthalate, High-Density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride, Low-Density Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polystyrene and Multilayer plastic packaging.
“While some are easy to recycle, the chemical composition of other types make them difficult to break down for recycling, for example, multilayer plastic packaging is often not recyclable or recycled,” Pillay said.
