Over a million tonnes of paper and paper packaging were diverted from landfill in 2017.

This is according to the latest recycling figures released by the Paper Recycling Association of South Africa (PRASA). This tonnage represents 70% of the 1.8 million tonnes of paper available for recovery, which excludes books and archived records, and unrecyclable paper like toilet tissue.

Ursula Henneberry, PRASA operations director says they are delighted with the latest statistics as it shows that people are recycling more.  “In 2015, the association set a target of 70% by the year 2020, and this has been achieved three years early,” she notes.

In the past six years alone, more than seven million tonnes of paper and paper packaging have been recovered for recycling. If baled, this amount would cover the surface of 1 273 soccer fields, one metre deep.

A growing recycling sector

“The unsung heroes are our country’s recycling collectors along with industry players who operate collection and drop-off schemes as well as buy back centres,” notes Henneberry.

It is through partnerships with the likes of the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing (FP&M) SETA that PRASA have trained over 6 000 recycling collectors and entrepreneurs since 2010. PRASA has also worked with the FP&M SETA and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations to formalise the qualifications that these entrepreneurs receive.

According to Statistics SA, there has been a substantial increase of jobs in the paper recycling sector from 2016 to 2017, which has been buoyed by robust demand from paper mills.