Recycling

Collecting and selling recycling to buy-back centres

Collect cans, plastic bottles, cardboard and paper from homes, businesses and events, sort them, and sell them by the kilogram to a buy-back centre.

Some evidenceLast checked 24 Oct 2026

See how this fits you, freeAbout 6 minutes, no sign-up.

Is this for you?

Best for

Hard-working people who do not mind physical work, can get to a buy-back centre and can store sorted material.

In South Africa: Works everywhere near a buy-back centre.

What you need

  • A phone is enough to start
  • Works on everyday data
  • No camera needed
  • No cold selling
  • At least 6 hours a week · age 18+

The money

What it can earn

  1. Pocket money
  2. A top-up
  3. A second income
  4. Can become a full income

This is usually pocket money: helpful, but rarely enough to live on by itself.

What people charge

R1,2 to R14 per kg

Published buy-back prices: PET about R3 to R4 a kg, cardboard R1.20 a kg, aluminium cans R14 a kg (Waste Go Green, Phepha). Prices move with commodity markets.

Costs to plan for

Start-up
R0 to R1 500
Every month
Bags, a trolley, transport to the buy-back centre.
Payment fees
Buy-back centres pay cash or EFT.
Margin
Your costs are mainly transport and time.

How it is paid: Rand per kilogram by material. Our viability score for it: 55 out of 100 (how we score).

How to start

  1. Test it cheaply Before you spend

    • Find the nearest buy-back centre and ask today's prices
    • Collect and sort for one week
    • Success signal: two businesses agree to a weekly pickup

  2. First week Days 1 to 7

    • Phone or visit two buy-back centres and write down their prices
    • Get gloves, strong bags and a trolley
    • Ask three shops or taverns near you if you may collect their recycling

  3. First month Days 8 to 30

    • Weigh in every week and record kilograms and rand by material
    • Sort carefully: clean, sorted material pays more

  4. By three months Days 31 to 90

    • Focus on the materials that pay best per trip
    • Add complexes or offices on a regular route

You are paid when you weigh in. First income usually takes 1 to 21 days. A day-by-day version for your situation is in the full plan.

Step-by-step guide

Recycling collection: from your first sorted bags to your first payout at a buy-back centre

23 short lessons with scripts, templates and rand prices to copy. R149 once-off, and the first lesson is free.

See what is inside

Customers and demand

Who pays

Buy-back centres and recyclers; businesses that want waste collected.

Less waste in landfills and streets; materials go back into manufacturing.

Is there demand?

Buy-back centres publish prices that move with commodity markets: Waste Go Green lists PET at about R3 a kg, cardboard R1.20 a kg and aluminium cans R14 a kg; Phepha in Benoni lists clear PET at R4 a kg. Earnings depend on volume and sorting.

Buy-back centresOffice and shop collectionsEvents and tavernsComplexes and schools

Getting customers

Agree regular pickups with shops, taverns, offices and complexes; sorted, clean material earns more.

In-person networkingPartnerships with other businessesWord of mouth and referrals

Risks and rules

Watch out for

  • Low rand per kilogram: transport can eat the profit
  • Prices change with world commodity markets
  • Injury from glass and sharp edges: wear gloves

Competition: Moderate: informal collectors work many areas. Regular business pickups are less contested.

Room to grow: Grows with regular business pickups and transport.

Legal and tax in South Africa

  • Sell only material you were given or collected legally.
  • Selling scrap metal needs your ID at the dealer (Second-Hand Goods Act).
  • Register for income tax with SARS once you earn above the tax threshold, and keep a record of every sale and every cost (stock, materials, transport and fees are business costs).

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start collecting and selling recycling to buy-back centres in South Africa?

Our research puts start-up costs at about R0 to R1 500. Recurring costs: Bags, a trolley, transport to the buy-back centre.

How long until the first income?

Typically about 7 days, and between 1 and 21 days. You are paid when you weigh in.

Can I do it with only a phone?

Yes, a smartphone is enough to start, although a laptop helps as you grow.

What about tax and legal rules?

Sell only material you were given or collected legally. Selling scrap metal needs your ID at the dealer (Second-Hand Goods Act). Register for income tax with SARS once you earn above the tax threshold, and keep a record of every sale and every cost (stock, materials, transport and fees are business costs).

Sources (4)

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Researched by the Earn Path team · editorial policy