South Africa has launched the Western Cape’s first food-grade PET bottle-to-bottle recycling facility, marking a significant expansion in the country’s recycling infrastructure.
Extrupet (Pty) Ltd’s new plant in Cape Town was officially opened in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and industry body Petco. The R200 million (US$11.59 million) facility will process 15,000 tonnes of post-consumer PET annually, producing recycled PET (rPET) that meets stringent local and international food-grade safety standards.
PETCO CEO Telly Chauke said, “This facility is a milestone not only for Cape Town but for South Africa. It will expand local capacity, ensure bottle-to-bottle recycling at world-class standards, and create meaningful jobs across the recycling value chain.”
The plant supports South Africa’s growing focus on circular economy practices and aligns with the strengthening of its extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework. Under EPR, packaging producers are held accountable for the environmental impacts of their products throughout their lifecycle.
South Africa’s PET collection rate has grown significantly, from 16% in 2005 to nearly 76% in 2023. The new facility is expected to further reduce landfill waste, cut carbon emissions, and decrease reliance on imported virgin plastic.
It also aims to support small-scale collectors and recycling businesses by increasing demand for post-consumer PET feedstock.
DFFE Minister Barbara Creecy said the investment demonstrates how public-private partnerships can deliver practical climate action. “This facility shows how public-private partnerships can deliver practical climate action, strengthen circular systems, and stimulate inclusive growth,” she said.
Extrupet already operates one of Africa’s largest rPET plants in Johannesburg. The new Cape Town facility extends its national footprint and positions the Western Cape as a growing hub for packaging recycling innovation.