Every September, just as jacaranda buds hint at the season ahead, South Africans are reminded that spring-cleaning isn’t only for cupboards and garages. It’s for our rivers, beaches and neighbourhood streets.

This year, from 15-20 September 2025, Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week returns, calling the nation to roll up its sleeves, grab a bag and make a difference wherever we work, live and play.

Organised annually by Plastics SA, the umbrella body representing the plastics industry, and supported by South Africa’s broader packaging sector, the campaign has become a rallying point for citizens who care about their environment. It’s a week where schoolchildren, corporates and coastal communities converge on one shared mission: to clean up our world and keep recyclables in circulation, not in nature.

‘Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week is more than just picking up litter – it’s about fostering a culture of accountability and respect for our environment,’ says Douw Steyn, sustainability director at Plastics SA. ‘Plastics and packaging are valuable resources that belong in the circular economy. By collecting, sorting and recycling them, we prevent pollution and preserve our natural spaces for future generations.’

A week that moves the needle

September has become synonymous with environmental action in South Africa. Across the country, riverbanks, beaches, highways and neighbourhood parks transform into hubs of volunteer energy. Bright yellow Plastics SA bags – now iconic to the movement – appear in the hands of students, families and community groups, filling up with the detritus of daily life: takeaway cups, water bottles, snack wrappers and the odd, unidentifiable relic of our throwaway culture.

Each item is a reminder that no space is too small or too remote to matter. Whether knee-deep in river mud, combing the tide line or sweeping a city park, the message is the same: every item collected is a step closer to a cleaner, more sustainable South Africa.

While Plastics SA drives the initiative, the week is a testament to collaboration across industries. Paper, glass and metal recyclers join the effort, showcasing the strength of a unified approach to pollution. Businesses supply teams of volunteers, schools turn clean-ups into outdoor lessons on environmental stewardship and local NGOs, community leaders and municipal partners step in to coordinate logistics, turning good intentions into measurable impact.

‘Each bag of litter collected, each bottle or bag recycled, represents a small act with big consequences,’ Douw says. ‘When you see the difference a single community can make in just a few hours, you understand the real power of collective action.’

Streets to stories

To magnify this impact, Plastics SA encourages participants to not only clean but also share their stories online, tagging their efforts and inspiring others to follow suit. Events can be registered at www.cleanupandrecycle.co.za, ensuring the national picture reflects the local victories. Photos of mountains of collected recyclables or sparkling stretches of cleaned coastline have become a hallmark of the campaign, feeding a sense of hope that environmental care is contagious.

For many participants, the week is not a once-off feel-good project. It sparks a mindset shift. Families start separating waste at home. Offices place recycling bins in communal areas. Municipalities take note of the grassroots energy and explore ways to support more frequent local clean-ups.

This year, the challenge is clear: show up, clean up and recycle. From the moment the first bags are handed out until the last yellow sack is collected, the nation will be reminded that our landscapes are only as clean as the care we give them.
For Douw, the goal is simple but powerful: ‘Together, we can make a real difference – one clean-up at a time.’

Visit www.cleanupandrecycle.co.za or www.plasticsinfo.co.za to join the effort. Spring is coming, and with it, the chance to sweep our country clean.

Mark the dates, make a difference

This year’s campaign will again anchor around three key events:

National River Clean-up Day: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
National Recycling Day: Friday, 19 September 2025
International Coastal Clean-up / World Clean-up Day: Saturday, 20 September 2025