Recycling education programme expands nationally to reach 16 000 learners in 2026
3 min read
Polyco PRO NPC, South Africa’s leading producer responsibility organisation for plastic packaging, is scaling its education impact in 2026 through its flagship Million+ Grade 1 Recycling Education Programme.
Now in its third consecutive year, the programme will engage 16 000 Grade 1 learners across 100 schools nationwide, equipping the next generation with essential recycling knowledge and behaviours from the very start of their schooling journey.
The initiative forms part of Polyco’s Million+ education programme offering, a national campaign aimed at shifting behaviour around plastic recycling. The campaign inspires learners and communities to keep plastic packaging out of the environment by separating recyclables at source, ensuring valuable materials are diverted from landfill and reintroduced into the circular economy.
Programme growth since launch:
- 2024 – 25 schools reached
- 2025 – 35 schools reached
- 2026 – 100 schools reached
“This programme is about shaping mindsets early; Grade 1 is a critical entry point for environmental education,” says Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco PRO NPC. “Through our in-school activations, we introduce recycling in a way that is fun, relatable and easy to understand, ensuring learners connect these lessons to their daily routines from an early age.
“When children learn about recycling from their first year of school, those lessons extend beyond the classroom into their homes, their communities and, ultimately, into the future of South Africa’s circular economy.”
Each Grade 1 learner will receive an educational toolkit that includes a drawstring bag, lunchbox, water bottle, stationery set and a recycling education booklet, all designed to make recycling both fun and practical.
The 2026 rollout marks another year of collaboration with Pick n Pay School Club, strengthening a longstanding partnership that began in 2019. In addition to the Grade 1 Recycling Education Programme, Polyco and Pick n Pay School Club work together to distribute educational resources to more than 2 700 schools nationwide, collectively reaching more than 2 million learners each year.
“Our partnership with Pick n Pay School Club allows us to scale our impact significantly and reach diverse communities across the country,” adds Pillay. “Together, we are investing in the environmental stewards of tomorrow while reinforcing South Africa’s goals for sustainable waste management and circular living.”
Polyco’s Million+ Grade 1 Recycling Education Programme is among the largest early-childhood recycling education interventions focused on Grade 1 learners in South Africa and continues to play a central role in growing a culture of recycling countrywide.
The 2026 school activations are scheduled to take place during the third and fourth week of January, aligning with the start of the academic year.
