More than 120,000 volunteers across all nine provinces took part in this year’s Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week, held from 15–20 September 2025. The annual campaign, coordinated by Plastics SA, once again united communities, schools, businesses, municipalities, and environmental organisations in a nationwide effort to clean beaches, rivers, parks, and neighbourhoods — keeping plastic waste out of the environment and water systems.
According to Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director at Plastics SA, the campaign continues to be about more than just litter collection. “The Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week is about educating, inspiring, and empowering South Africans to take responsibility for their environment,” he said. “This year, we distributed more than 400,000 yellow clean-up bags nationwide through 75 coordinators who worked closely with municipalities, community groups, and NGOs to make this one of the most impactful campaigns to date. Every bag filled represents a community that cares.”
Major clean-ups took place across the country. In KwaZulu-Natal, hundreds of volunteers joined forces with the Clean Surf Project, eThekwini Municipality, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to clean Amanzimtoti, Isipingo, Dakota Beach, and the Mbokodweni River mouth. Despite morning rain, volunteers continued until the skies cleared. In the Western Cape, Plastics SA, PETCO, Polyco, and CleanC teamed up for a large clean-up at Strandfontein Beach, led by Polyoak Packaging, where over 300 employees collected waste later transported for sorting and recycling. The Theewaterskloof Municipality event in Villiersdorp, organised with Polyco and Plastics SA, drew 150 participants, with recyclables collected by a local buy-back centre.
Steyn highlighted the enthusiasm of young volunteers as a standout feature of the campaign. “In KwaZulu-Natal, we saw youth ambassadors leading clean-ups along Dakota Beach, transforming the initiative into an educational experience for learners and students,” he said.
The success of this year’s campaign was driven by collaboration among industry partners including Sasol, Safripol, and Tuffy, along with Producer Responsibility Organisations such as Polyco, PETCO, eWASA, SAVA, Metpac, PAMSA, Fibre Circle, and The Glass Recycling Company. Supporting organisations like Packaging SA, Coca-Cola, Unilever, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the Department of Water and Sanitation, CleanC, WESSA, SAAMBR, SST, and ARMOUR also played key roles.
As the national coordinator, Plastics SA secured sponsorships for clean-up bag production, managed national distribution, and promoted the campaign through digital platforms. “Our gratitude goes to every sponsor, coordinator, and volunteer who made this possible,” said Steyn. “Despite funding and transport challenges, the dedication of our partners ensured communities across the country could participate.”
While waste separation remains a challenge in some areas, progress is being made in recycling education and infrastructure. Plastics SA hopes future campaigns will expand sorting and awareness initiatives to further reduce landfill waste.
“Our vision is simple,” Steyn concluded. “Cleaner rivers, beaches, and communities, achieved through more South Africans saying, ‘Don’t litter — recycle.’ Each year, participation grows, showing that when we work together, we can make a lasting difference.”
For more information, visit www.cleanupandrecycle.co.za or www.plasticssa.co.za.
