South Africa updates packaging waste framework.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has published the Draft National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) 2026 for public comment, with the consultation open until mid-February 2026; the draft emphasises waste minimisation, circular economy principles and supports extended producer responsibility within existing law.

South Africa's Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has published the Draft National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) 2026 and opened it for public comment. The draft was gazetted in Government Gazette No. 53894 on 19 December 2025. It sets national direction for waste reduction, resource recovery and circular economy outcomes over the next five years. The document outlines strategic priorities for the waste sector and highlights packaging as a significant waste stream. Key points: - The Draft NWMS 2026 was gazetted (Government Gazette No. 53894, 19 December 2025) and is open for written submissions until mid-February 2026. - The strategy emphasises waste minimisation, circular economy principles, resource recovery and the establishment of sustainable waste services. - Strategic pillars named in the draft include circular economy and waste minimisation, effective waste services, capacity building, and compliance monitoring and enforcement. - Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is already embedded under the National Environmental Management: Waste Act and requires producers and importers of packaging to register with Producer Responsibility Organisations and manage post-consumer packaging waste. - The draft strategy does not itself amend EPR regulations but aligns national policy to reinforce EPR's role; the government will review consultation responses and aims to finalise and adopt the strategy later in 2026. Summary: The draft NWMS 2026 aims to steer national policy toward reduced waste generation and greater material recovery, with packaging highlighted as a priority stream. The consultation period runs until mid-February 2026, after which the government will review feedback and work toward finalising and adopting the strategy later in 2026.