As schools across South Africa open their doors for a new academic year, Polyco is excited to strengthen its partnership with the Pick n Pay School Club, established in 2020, by providing schools with educational resources focused on recycling.

Through this collaboration, Polyco is providing 2 675 primary schools across all provinces in South Africa with educational posters to promote awareness of plastic recycling and its positive impact on the environment (see pictures here).

This initiative is part of Polyco’s Million+ programme, which, in collaboration with the Pick n Pay School Club, supports over 2 million learners and educators across 2 675 schools nationwide. The posters aim to empower the next generation with knowledge and skills to actively participate in recycling efforts, fostering environmental stewardship from a young age.

Each school will receive ten interactive calendars highlighting the important environmental days throughout the year and teaching learners the three important steps to recycle at school. By integrating these resources into classrooms, educators are equipped to inspire meaningful discussions and actions around sustainability.

Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco, emphasised the significance of the partnership: “This collaboration with Pick n Pay School Club underscores the importance of educating young minds about recycling and environmental care. By equipping schools with engaging, curriculum-aligned resources, we are planting the seeds for a more sustainable future. Polyco is committed to empowering communities through education and innovation and we are proud to extend this commitment to South Africa’s classrooms.”

Vaughan Pierce, Pick n Pay Group Company Secretary and Head of ESG added; “For over 50 years, Pick n Pay has been dedicated to uplifting communities. The Pick n Pay School Club embodies this commitment by providing free, curriculum-aligned educational content to schools across the country. Our partnership with Polyco allows us to integrate vital environmental education into our programme, encouraging learners and educators to take an active role in shaping a cleaner, healthier planet.”

In addition to the educational posters, Polyco and Pick n Pay School Club are distributing back-to-school goodie bags to over 6 000 Grade 1 learners across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal. Each drawstring bag includes a lunch box, bottle, and stationery kit. The schools will also receive educational booklets, providing practical tools to support environmental education in the classroom.

These school-focused initiatives form part of the broader Million+ programme, which extends its reach into communities through public awareness campaigns. Among these is the #BreakingDownPlastics campaign,  an 8-part video series that educates citizens about the different types of recyclable plastics, encouraging them to identify which materials can be recycled in their neighbourhoods to prevent unnecessary waste from ending up in landfills. Complementing this is the Return the Favour campaign, where children demonstrate through short video messages how easy it is to integrate recycling into daily life at home, work, and school.

With over 140 projects and 300,000 tonnes of recycling capacity added through its partnerships, Polyco is actively contributing to diverting waste from landfills and promoting a circular economy. Polyco remains committed to transforming waste into valuable economic resources while promoting environmental responsibility at all levels of society.

Whatsapp