Oricol Processes 79,100 Tonnes of Food Waste in 2026
The waste management firm is scaling up efforts as South Africa faces significant annual losses in its national food supply.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Organic Food
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Oricol Environmental Services managed 79,100 tonnes of food waste during 2026, a critical year as the country grapples with the loss of 10.3 million tonnes of edible food annually. This effort represents a major step in addressing waste streams that account for 45% of the total available food supply.
Why it matters
Reducing food waste is essential for returning nutrients and energy to the agricultural system, directly supporting the government's Draft National Waste Management Strategy 2026. This strategy prioritises organic waste to mitigate the environmental impact of disposal.
Oricol operates a 20,000 square metre composting site near Verulam with a daily processing capacity of 10 tonnes of organic waste. Additionally, 8,000 tonnes of waste were redirected through the biogas route during 2025.
The players
Oricol Environmental Services
This private waste management firm specialises in industrial and commercial waste diversion, composting, and bio-digestion programmes.
The details
Oricol utilises advanced drying systems to convert wet food waste into animal feed and bulk organic streams into compost. Meanwhile, the company employs bio-digestion to process depackaged waste into biomethane, beverage-grade CO2, and bioavailable nutrients.
Timeline
In 2025, 8,000 tonnes of organic waste followed the biogas route.
The Verulam composting site received approval in June 2025.
Oricol managed 79,100 tonnes of food waste throughout 2026.
The Western Cape will implement a 100% organic waste landfill ban in 2027.
Culture Shift
South Africa is shifting from a landfill-reliant disposal model toward a circular economy as defined by the Draft National Waste Management Strategy 2026. This transition necessitates significant infrastructure investment to convert organic refuse into viable agricultural resources.
Residents and local businesses in affected regions may see new mandates for separating organic refuse from general trash as landfill bans take effect. Adapting to these requirements will require changes to daily waste disposal routines and potential participation in new collection programmes.
The takeaway
Diverting organic waste from landfills is a critical step in recovering protein and energy for the national agricultural system. Households and businesses can contribute to this effort by prioritising the separation of organic materials from general waste streams.
What happens next
The Western Cape is scheduled to enforce a 100% organic waste landfill ban starting in 2027.
Further reading
Find more context on local sustainable practices in the Organic Food section.
More information
Review operational details and service capabilities on the Oricol Environmental Services official website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Greeneconomy.
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