About Us

COMPANY OVERVIEW

PetrecoZim

We are a producer responsibility organisation (PRO) conceived and registered in 2011 to focus on PET recycling as one of the measures to mitigate the environmental footprint of PET bottles. PetrecoZim is a product of collective effort by selected companies in the PET value chain to provide leadership in fighting PET pollution as part of Corporate Social Responsibility. The key principles at the centre of PETRECOZIM are extended producer responsibility (EPR), self-regulation (SR) and international best practice(IBP).

Through perseverance and innovation, we've transformed a potential environmental disaster into a thriving industry, providing opportunities for all. Our PET recycling project has not only changed the way PET bottles are perceived but has also empowered individuals in low-income categories by creating a new avenue for sustainable income.

We have successfully diverted a significant amount of post-consumer PET bottles from streets and landfills to raw material. Our plant has a state-of-the-art capability to process 500kgs of PET bottles per hour and can handle over 200 tonnes per month, potentially saving 1,260 cubic meters of landfill space monthly.

As pioneers on PET recycle, we provide leadership in the fight against PET pollution. Our footprint in the PET recycling industry is unmatched. Over the last 10 years. We have recovered over 10t of PET from the environment, paid over USD 1 million to waste pickers and transformed the lives of over 200 pickers. This translate to 350 million bottles, saving 62sq kms of landfill space.

OUR CORE BUSINESS

Reduce the environmental footprint of post-consumer PET bottles
Recovery and recycling of post-consumer PET bottles
Community mobilization and enterprise development
Consumer education and promotion of PET recycling

>10,000

Tonnes of PET Bottles recycled

>2,500

Jobs created to wastepickers

>62,000

Cubic meters of landfill space saved

PETRECOZIM

Our Vision

To provide a world class model for sustainable extended producer responsibility focusing on post-consumer PET recycling.

Our Mission

To reduce the environmental footprint of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PC PET) bottles by engaging with other stakeholders to ensure the recycling of PC PET bottles on sustainable basis in Zimbabwe. This will be done in a manner that balances planet and people issues without compromising a fair return to shareholders.

What we value

OUR VALUES

PET recycling keeps our communities free of landfill for us and the next generations. We value:

Responsibility
Accountability
Integrity
Innovation
Commitment

View Our Collection Depots

WHAT WE DO

Supporting Communities & the Environment

OUR DEPOTS

Collecting more than 500 tonnes of PET per month

>62,000 m3

of landfill space saved

OUR FACTORY

With the country's first PET bottle hot-washing technology

>10,000 tonnes

of PET bottles recycled

OUR COMMUNITIES

95% of our PET supplies come from individual and groups of waste pickers

>500 pickers

supply PetrecoZim with PET raw material

THE ENVIRONMENT

PetrecoZim turned a potential environmental disaster into a profitable industry

Approx. 320 million

PET bottles saved from harming the environment

PetrecoZim

Useful FAQ’s

What is PET and why does it matter?

PET, or PolyEthylene Terephthalate, is used to package 70% of carbonated soft drinks, fruit juices, dilutable drinks and bottled water. Light, durable, safe and with a smaller carbon footprint than alternatives, PET is the most recyclable plastic in the world.

Is PET safe?

PET is approved as safe for use in direct food contact in the EU, as well as by the US’s FDA and health agencies across the world. PET’s continued use in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and medical sectors is a testament to this valuable material’s safety and versatility. Repeated studies, regulatory approvals and testing show that PET is safe. PET is inert and does not give off contaminants into the environment, which combined with its recyclability, means it has virtually no direct impact on the planet.

Does PET contain Bisphenol A (BPA)?

No. There is no connection between PET plastic and BPA. BPA is not used in the production of PET material; it is not used as a chemical building block for any of the materials used in the manufacture of PET, nor is it part of the PET recycling process.

Can a PET bottle be recycled repeatedly or does it degrade?

A PET bottle can be recycled over and over again. It’s true that there’s some change in the recycled PET that occurs with repeated recycling heat histories, but these can be addressed during the recycling process.

Why are so many beverages packaged in PET plastic?

Consumers like PET packaging because it is lightweight, safe, shatter-resistant, resealable and recyclable — an effective combination for home, work and leisure usage. Package designers also appreciate PET’s recyclability as well as its clarity, toughness, rigidity, scope for innovative design potential across various market sectors, and barrier properties that help retain product freshness.