South Africa’s environment ministry has outlined policy direction for the country’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging and plastics, placing stronger emphasis on performance metrics and signalling possible use of deposit-refund systems for streams that are underperforming against recycling and collection targets.

The comments were made in a keynote address at the POLYCO 2026 Strategic Overview conference in Cape Town on 20 February 2026 by Mr Willie Aucamp, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

The speech underscores evolving expectations for circular economy outcomes and regulatory tools to improve results across South Africa’s packaging waste sector.

EPR implementation and performance expectations

South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, promulgated over the past five years, formally embed circular economy principles within national waste policy.

These regulations require producers, either individually or through Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), to meet targets for the collection, reuse and recycling of defined packaging and plastics streams.

In his address, Minister Aucamp acknowledged progress in aligning industry action with EPR regulatory requirements.

He noted that some outcomes have been achieved in expanding collection and recycling, and that organisations such as POLYCO — a large packaging and plastics PRO — have contributed investment to recycling infrastructure and supported producers in meeting compliance obligations.

However, the department highlighted that meeting regulated EPR targets remains central to assessing compliance and environmental impact.

The minister emphasised that continued improvement is necessary to ensure annual targets for all packaging categories are consistently met or exceeded.

Deposit-refund systems contemplated for non-performing streams

A key policy signal emerging from the address was the government’s interest in deploying deposit-refund systems where EPR categories or products fail to achieve required collection and recycling targets.

The draft National Waste Management Strategy 2026 — currently under review — includes provisions for this instrument as a means to strengthen accountability and incentivise higher collection rates across problem streams.

Deposit-refund schemes, commonly used for beverage containers in other jurisdictions, involve consumers paying an up-front deposit at purchase and reclaiming that deposit on return of the packaging.

Introducing such systems could shift some of the onus for performance from producers and PROs to end-of-life collection behaviours, complementing existing regulatory mechanisms under EPR.

Minister Aucamp framed this potential tool not as a current regulation but as a future option designed to “strengthen accountability” if performance against targets currently set under EPR regulations is not sustained.

Partnerships and broader circular economy goals

Beyond performance metrics, the ministry emphasised collaborative elements of the EPR system, including formal partnerships between PROs and municipalities.

Memoranda of Understanding between these stakeholders are cited as mechanisms to improve local waste management services, particularly in under-resourced areas.

The address also highlighted efforts to integrate informal waste workers (waste pickers) into broader waste systems, improve working conditions, and support livelihoods in the waste sector.

Environmental education, source-separation initiatives and public awareness campaigns were noted as complementary pillars to regulatory approaches in advancing circular economy outcomes.

The minister’s comments reflect an evolving regulatory landscape for packaging and plastics in South Africa, one that is seeking to balance industry compliance, environmental outcomes and practical tools for boosting collection and recycling performance.