Insight & Article Archive
BBC200 Project
The BBC200 Project is a PRO Alliance-led initiative to integrate 80,000 waste pickers into South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system by digitising 200 buy-back centres by the end of 2026.
Using the SAWPRS platform, the project will enable:
- Digital onboarding of 200 BBCs nationally
- Cashless service fee payments to waste pickers when working in conjunction with the transactional and cashless payment solutions
- Formal waste picker integration into the EPR framework
- Real-time reporting to PROs on materials, volumes, and payments
Parallel programmes will back-pay existing SAWPRS registrants and integrate existing individual PRO programmes onto SAWPRS, ensuring all waste pickers are registered on the national database with auditable payment records.
Reporting into the Waste Picker Integration Working Committee, a multi-stakeholder project team, which includes the waste picker organisations and PRO member representatives, meets regularly to address any challenges that may hinder project progress and to discuss initiatives to drive awareness, education and registration of waste pickers onto the system.
The BBC200 Project represents a scalable, inclusive model for future-proof EPR implementation.
Other Articles
ISWA Waste Management and Circular Economy Conference
Date: 30 & 31 March 2026
Focus & Themes: This event will highlight Africa’s leadership in advancing circular economy practices and environmental resilience.
PRO Alliance Newsletter – 2026 Issue 3
The PRO Alliance Quarterly Newsletter (Issue 3, March 2026) highlights strong progress in the BBC200 waste picker integration programme and related initiatives. It reports significant milestones, including over 16,000 registrations and 11,500 verifications on the SAWPRS system, alongside financial support distributed to waste pickers and the onboarding of 51 buy-back centres. The newsletter reflects on Phase 1 of the BBC200 project, which successfully established infrastructure, improved data visibility through national systems, and demonstrated that technology must be paired with training, trust-building, and consistent engagement to drive adoption and long-term impact.
Looking ahead, the focus for 2026 is on scaling the programme to more centres while deepening education, integration, and support for waste pickers and stakeholders. The newsletter also introduces the Fair Circularity Initiative, aimed at accelerating inclusion in the recycling economy, and features insights from a buy-back centre owner, emphasising real-world benefits and challenges. In addition, PRO Alliance shares its position on South Africa’s National Waste Management Strategy, advocating for practical, balanced implementation aligned with circular economy goals. Overall, the issue underscores a shift toward a more structured, inclusive, and data-driven waste management ecosystem.
Download full newsletter (.PDF)
OUR MEMBERS
