The names of the 12 collectors of post-consumer polyolefin waste that will be receiving a total of R4.6million in grants and interest-free loans have been announced by Polyco, the Polyolefin Recycling Company.

As part of POLYCO’s mandate to promote and grow the collection and recycling of post-consumer polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene and Linear low-density polyethylene packaging materials the company issued a call for proposals in April 2015 to collectors who were interested in partnering with them.

“We received a total of 38 applicants from all over South Africa, of which 16 were shortlisted and finally 12 successful applicants were approved by the Polyco board,” says Mandy Naudé, Polyco CEO.  The result is that Polyco will invest R3.7 million as interest-free loans and R850 000 as grants into 12 post-consumer polyolefin collection companies.

The successful applicants are:

• A2 Recycling in Kagiso
• Anti-Waste in Polokwane
• Aspigon 218cc in Lenasia
• Innovative Mouldings in Port Elizabeth
• Mary Recycling Works in Meadowlands
• Mavesa Scrap Metals in Germiston
• Neo Recycling in Thabazimbi
• Nondaba Recycling in Secunda
• Polymer Waste Management Centre in Longdale, Gauteng
• Pick Up Waste Recycling in Potchefstroom
• Remade in Germiston
• Trashback in Sandton

“Providing funding support to these companies and helping them to optimise their supply chains, allows us to unlock about 27 500 tonnes of new polyolefin plastics for recycling over the next three years – putting us ahead of our 5 year plan”, Naudé says.

The collection and sorting sector faces numerous constraints which prevent them from growing their volumes or collecting more materials.  The majority of the collectors who had applied to Polyco for funding in this cycle, required new machinery and equipment that would allow them to make maximum use of their available space and move materials more effectively through the process, whilst minimizing their logistic costs.

“Almost all of the collectors needed balers at their premises in order to compact the bulky polyolefin materials that were brought in, such as milk bottles, yoghurt tubs, margarine containers and ice cream tubs.  Granulators to shred the materials into smaller pieces were also high on the collectors’ wish lists, as both these machines allow them to save on warehousing and logistical costs.  By helping them find solutions to the bottle necks in their operations, they will now be able to buy and process more materials from the informal collectors and have a direct, positive impact on the amount of plastic waste that is sent to landfill,” she explains.

Applicant responses
“This funding means a lot to me and is going to help me grow my business, as I will now be able to increase the volumes of the materials I collect and employ more people.  I am going to buy a new granulator.  In time and as my business grows, I will also be buying a wash plant, and have my eye on a truck that I want to buy to help me speed up collections and deliveries,” says Bongani Mashinini from Aspigon 218cc.

“We are very excited about the opportunity for the interest-free loan received, and what it will mean for our business.  We built up Anti-Waste to become a well-established and reliable recycling company over the past 22 years. Anti-Waste has already created 362 permanent jobs and 104 self-sustainable jobs, and this funding will allow us to create even more jobs in the Limpopo Province. Thanks to Polyco’s vote of confidence in our operations, we will now be able to invest in purchasing a granulator and a baling machine that will allow us to streamline and grow our operations in the Limpopo province,” adds Fanus Beytell from Anti-Waste, Polokwane.

All other 10 successful applicants had something positive to say about how the contribution would add to their growing businesses. But, the Polyco’s recycling funding won’t end here by a long way.

“We look forward to going through the applications from mechanical recyclers and announcing the names of the successful applicants later this year. These applicants also enjoy the benefit of becoming part of the Polyco network whereby they are referred business opportunities, connected to valuable networks, provided with media exposure and offered general business support and advice if required.  We have set ourselves the goal of growing polyolefin recycling in South Africa by a further 300 000 tonnes over the next five years. We believe it is achievable through forming partnerships with recyclers and collectors who share our vision and passion for the industry,” Naudé concludes.