TGRC is funded exclusively by the EPR Fees paid by our brand owner members for every ton of glass packaging they place on the South African market.

The South African glass manufacturers, in turn, purchase all of the glass recovered for recycling in South Africa, and thereafter it is recycled into new glass packaging.

TGRC is a non-profit company (NPC) which is a requirement as per the EPR legislation to be registered as an NPC whose purpose is to facilitate and increase the recycling of glass containers in SA which will have the effect of protecting the environment whilst at the same time providing our members with a solution to addressing their EPR obligations. Over the past 16 years we have developed an excellent track record across the entire value chain.

To date the joint initiative by all role players and TGRC in increasing the recycling of glass has been very successful. Over the past 16 years we have increased the glass collection rate from 18% to 44.2% in South Africa.

Some of our key focus areas include capacity building, training and education and awareness creation along with transformation.

We thank our members for their commitment to ensuring glass packaging is reused and recycled. Our members are dedicated to the Extended Producer Responsibility legislation and environmental protection through recycling of and the reuse of returnable glass bottles.

Extended Producer Responsibility in South Africa

The Glass Recycling Company NPC is the producer responsibility organisation (PRO) for glass packaging in South Africa. It facilitates EPR programmes for glass producers (manufacturers, importers, brand owners and retailers).

As of 5 November 2021, extended producer responsibility (EPR) is compulsory for all producers and importers of identified products. The recently promulgated and amended regulations, under Section 18 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008), require companies to take practical and financial responsibility for the end-of-life of any product they put on to the South African market. The purpose behind these regulations is three-fold:

1. 1. to provide the framework for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of extended producer responsibility schemes by producers in terms of section 18 of the Act.
   2. to ensure the effective and efficient management of the identified product at the end of its life; and
   3. to encourage and enable the implementation of the circular economy initiatives.