In South Africa’s waste economy, small businesses often carry the heaviest load when it comes to collecting post-consumer packaging for recycling. These buy-back centres (BBCs) are usually located in townships or rural areas and play a vital role in creating income opportunities for waste pickers, while ensuring that PET plastic bottles and other recyclables don’t end up in landfill.

But running these small businesses is not easy. From rising electricity costs and power outages to basic equipment shortages, many BBCs struggle to keep operations running smoothly. This is where Petco’s infrastructure support has been a game changer, helping small enterprises grow and build the capacity to collect more post-consumer packaging.

See how something like a generator has a real impact on real people doing the real work countrywide.

In South Africa’s waste economy, small businesses often carry the heaviest load when it comes to collecting post-consumer packaging for recycling. These buy-back centres (BBCs) are usually located in townships or rural areas and play a vital role in creating income opportunities for waste pickers, while ensuring that plastic bottles and other recyclables don’t end up in landfill.

But running these small businesses is not easy. From rising electricity costs and power outages to basic equipment shortages, many BBCs struggle to keep operations running smoothly. This is where Petco’s infrastructure support has been a game changer, helping small enterprises grow and build the capacity to collect more post-consumer packaging.

Bagodumo Trading Enterprise: Levelling up with new machinery

In Lebowakgomo, Limpopo, Bagodumo Trading Enterprise has steadily grown thanks to Petco’s ongoing support over the years. Starting with a baling machine and trailer provided by Petco, the business recently reached another milestone with the delivery of a brand-new H20 baling machine.

Owner Robert Mohlala had encountered a problem as the volume of collected recyclables increased, making his single baling machine insufficient to process collections efficiently. The new baler has made his operations more efficient and allowed Bagodumo Trading to process material faster, keep up with demand, and continue supporting the community of collectors who rely on them.

With each phase of support from Petco, Bagodumo Trading has been able to expand operations and contribute to a stronger recycling value chain in the province.

Powering buy-back centres with generators

While equipment like balers and collection trailers help with efficiency, another obstacle has long stood in the way of many buy-back centres: access to a reliable power supply. Without power, it’s impossible to charge scales, or operate machinery. Even buy-back centres with access to the power grid face problems with the likes of load-shedding and escalating energy costs.

Recognising this, Petco and its recycling partner Da Run Fa Chemical Fibre teamed up to donate generators to buy-back centres across South Africa. In total, 20 generators were distributed to buy-back centres in all nine provinces during 2025.

“These donations may sound small, but they make a massive difference,” says Andile Mndaba, Petco Regional Recycling Officer in KwaZulu-Natal. “Generators mean centres can keep trading during power cuts, weigh materials accurately on site, and even save on monthly electricity bills.”

The impact of the generators has been immediate and tangible for the centres that received them.

• In Gauteng, Diakanyo Tsa Thari and Dixon Recycling reported that they can now continue operating through load-shedding, keeping their business stable and reliable for collectors. For Hope and Dreams Recycling, which previously had no electricity at all, the generator provided their first real access to power.
• In the Western Cape, Mkhuzangwe Waste Solutions uses its generator to keep its baling machine running during power cuts. The Vlottenburg Community Organisation Recycling (VCO), meanwhile, relies on its generator to charge scales, phones, and even enjoy small comforts like hot coffee during long shifts.
• In KwaZulu-Natal and other provinces, the benefits are similar. Generators provide lighting for early-morning weighing, allow transaction data to be captured in real time, and reduce the costs of transporting equipment off-site for charging.

Strengthening livelihoods and the recycling chain

According to Senamile Mvuyana, Petco Regional Recycling Officer in the Western Cape, the support is about more than powering machines. “Every time we help a buy-back centre overcome a barrier, we unlock more collection of post-consumer PET and liquid board packaging. That means more income opportunities for waste pickers and more stability for small businesses. It also means more post-consumer packaging diverted from landfill and creating value by being recycled.”

The support also strengthens data and reporting, which helps Petco and its partners track progress across the value chain. With reliable power, buy-back centres can capture and submit accurate transaction records, improving transparency and accountability in the sector.

For Da Run Fa, which processes PET into polyester fibre, supporting collection at grassroots level is critical. The partnership between Petco and Da Run Fa not only empowers small businesses but also helps secure the sustainability of the collection and recycling value chain.

This partnership model — Petco connecting collectors with the right support, and industry partners providing resources — is proving to be a powerful driver of circular economy growth in South Africa.

Lighting the way forward

From Limpopo to the Western Cape, the combined stories of Bagodumo Trading Enterprise and the generator recipients show how infrastructure support can transform the collection and recycling landscape. Each intervention may seem modest, but together they unlock real capacity and create opportunities for people who rely on the waste economy to make a living.