Polyco Champions Youth Participation in SA’s Green Transition
AS SOUTH AFRICA marked Youth Day 2025 on June 16 under the theme “Skills for the Changing World – “Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation,” Polyco acknowledged the urgent need to tackle youth unemployment and promote opportunities in the green economy.
With the country’s youth unemployment rate reaching a staggering 46.1% this year, the challenge is clear – but so is the potential. The waste and recycling sector holds immense potential to unlock green jobs, foster youth entrepreneurship, and advance South Africa’s just transition towards a circular economy.
A 2023 International Labour Organisation study estimates that a total of seven to eight million new jobs can be created in the global South circular economy by increasing the reuse and regeneration of products and materials. However, it also underscores a vital truth: quantity of jobs is not enough, job quality and dignity must also be prioritised.
Polyco is committed to creating meaningful opportunities for youth while improving working conditions through training, equipment provision, and enterprise development. As a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO), it drives inclusive, sustainable growth by supporting initiatives that enable young people to actively participate in the waste and recycling economy.
Polyco’s enterprise development projects are designed to unlock economic inclusion, while the youth training programmes Polyco support equip participants with business skills, waste management expertise, and hands-on recycling experience. Polyco also support schools through recycling education campaigns, infrastructure provision, and collection equipment.
Beyond direct training, Polyco invests in partners like the Green Youth Network to promote environmental education, youth empowerment, and green entrepreneurship. Polyco’s mobile buy-back initiative, Packa-Ching, embodies its mission by prioritising youth employment while advancing local recycling efforts and practical work experience.
“Youth Day is not just about honouring our past; it’s about building our future. From informal waste reclaimers to young innovators in recycling technology, the future of South Africa’s circular economy rests in the hands of the very generation we celebrate this month. At Polyco, we believe young people are central to creating a circular economy that works for everyone. By investing in education, skills, entrepreneurship, and inclusive opportunities, we can unlock meaningful pathways for youth participation, while ensuring safer and more dignified working conditions, especially for those in the informal recycling economy,” said Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco.
To honour this commitment and further the goals of Youth Month, Polyco announced its partnership in the 10th Annual Green Youth Indaba 2025, which took place at the Durban ICC on 19-20 June. Its involvement spanned multiple days including a beach clean-up on 16 June, the Green Youth Careers Expo on 17 June and a Wasteprenuer Masterclass on 18 June. These events were aimed at empowering young people with practical insights, career inspiration, and tools to participate meaningfully in the green economy.
