Local Recycling Week: Schools across KZN welcome Buddy the Superhero Fish
As National Clean-up and Recycle SA Week gets underway, Polyco and Re-Purpose are making a big splash with the expansion of their joint initiative, Buddy the Superhero Fish, to schools across Kwa-Zulu Natal.
This creative programme blends awareness with practical education, inspiring a daily recycling habit for learners, while highlighting the urgent need to reduce plastic waste.
At the heart of the campaign is Buddy, a colourful, fish-shaped structure designed to collect recyclable plastic bottles and encourage keeping our waters plastic-free.
Polyco has invested R100 000 to sponsor the Buddy structures, which will be installed at selected schools across the province. The first installation took place at Crawford International La Lucia in Durban earlier this month, with other schools to follow soon.
The project is being celebrated as part of National Clean-up and Recycle Week, an annual initiative running from 15 to 20 September, championed by the local plastics industry and supported by packaging and retail stakeholders nationwide.
Each installation serves as both a functional recycling collection point and a vibrant reminder for students of the importance of environmental responsibility. Alongside the structures, participating schools will receive educational resources and support to reinforce the recycling message in the classroom.
Plastic bottles collected through Buddy will be sent to ALPLA Recycling in Ballito, where they will be processed and transformed into new bottles; supporting a circular economy and diverting waste from landfills and oceans.
“At Polyco, we believe education is the foundation for lasting change. Partnering with Re-Purpose on Buddy the Superhero Fish allows us to reach young learners in a fun and engaging way, showing them that every plastic bottle recycled makes a difference,” said Chantal Philander, Marketing Manager at Polyco.
Through interactive learning, friendly competition, and community involvement, the Buddy initiative is creating a new generation of eco heroes. By recycling one plastic bottle at a time, these learners are directly contributing to cleaner communities, healthier oceans, and a more sustainable future.
“Through our collaboration with Polyco, Buddy the Superhero has become more than just a creative structure. He is a fun, educational tool helping young minds understand the importance of recycling and taking care of our oceans. This school initiative brings environmental awareness to life in a way that’s interactive, inspiring, and impactful for future generations,” added Candis Sudhu, Commercial Director at Re-Purpose.
This initiative will add to Polyco’s broader efforts to reduce waste which has allowed more than 219 000 tonnes of plastic waste to diverted from landfill in 2024 alone, and over 458 000 tonnes since the inception of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations in 2022.
