The latest statistics released by national industry body PET Recycling Company (Petco), showed 98649 tons of post-consumer PET plastic bottles were recycled last year alone, saving 612000 cubic metres of landfill space and lessening the country’s carbon emissions footprint by 148000 tons.
Petco chief executive Cheri Scholtz said an average of 6.2 million PET plastic bottles were collected for recycling across South Africa every day last year, creating 68000 income- generating opportunities for small and micro-collectors - up from the 64000 total for 2017.
Petco said an estimated R1.2 billion was injected into the downstream economy through the manufacturing, distribution and sale of products made from recycled PET.
Describing the results as “encouraging’’, Scholtz said it meant Petco was on track to meet its target of seeing 70% of post-consumer PET bottles recycled by 2022, adding that 2018 had seen unprecedented pressure and attention on plastics in the public space.