Long before municipal waste collection trucks arrive, waste reclaimers are already at work recovering recyclable materials from household bins, kerbsides and public spaces. Their work forms an important part of South Africa’s recycling value chain, diverting valuable materials from landfill and returning them to the economy.

Episode 2 of Stepping into the Circular Economy, a six-part documentary series produced by the Sustainability Communication Company (SUSCO) in partnership with the EPR Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA), turns the spotlight on these reclaimers and the role they play in keeping recyclable materials moving through the system.

While the circular economy is often discussed in terms of sustainability targets, policies and recycling rates, this episode focuses on the people doing the work on the ground.

From the kerbside to the recycling value chain

Waste reclaimers are often among the first to recover recyclable materials from the waste stream, collecting items before they reach municipal disposal facilities or landfill.

By recovering materials from household and commercial waste, they help ensure that items with recycling potential are not lost to disposal. This makes reclaimers an important part of the collection network that supplies materials to the downstream recycling industry.

However, recovering waste is only the first step. The value of these materials depends on how effectively they are separated and sorted.

Materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), aluminium cans and cardboard need to be sorted by type to maintain their value and meet the requirements of buyers and recyclers.

This sorting process is central to the recycling value chain. When materials are correctly separated, they can be sold and processed as secondary raw materials, rather than being treated as waste with no further use.

Recognising reclaimers through extended producer responsibility

Beyond the collection and sorting process, Episode 2 also highlights the importance of integrating waste reclaimers into the formal waste management system.

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) provides an important framework for supporting this process. By extending producers’ responsibility for the products and packaging they place on the market, EPR can help fund and strengthen collection, recovery and recycling activities across the value chain.

Recognising reclaimers within these systems is an important part of building a more inclusive circular economy. They already perform a significant collection function, and better integration can help acknowledge their contribution while supporting the development of a more coordinated and effective recycling network.

For South Africa, this means looking beyond the materials being recovered and recognising the people and enterprises that make recovery possible.

Putting people at the centre of the circular economy

The second episode reinforces an important message: the circular economy depends on more than recycling infrastructure and industry commitments. It also relies on the people who collect, sort and recover materials every day.

By following reclaimers from the kerbside to the weigh-in, the documentary shows how materials move from discarded products into the recycling value chain, where they can become valuable resources again.

As the Stepping into the Circular Economy series continues, subsequent episodes will explore other role players, including buy-back centres, small-scale recyclers and entrepreneurs, waste management companies and government departments.

Together, these stories aim to provide a clearer picture of how South Africa’s circular economy works in practice, and what is needed to strengthen the connections between the people and organisations that keep it moving.

Watch Episode 2 below