The Waste Group

What The Waste Group does

The Waste Group is a vertically integrated waste management and recycling company headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa. Founded in 1993 by CEO Dirk van Niekerk, the company operates branches across five provinces (Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal) and serves domestic, commercial, industrial, mining, municipal, medical/hazardous, educational, and events waste generators. It owns two ISO 14001-certified private landfill sites in Gauteng — Bon Accord north of Pretoria and Mooiplaats between Pretoria and Johannesburg — operates three recycling processing plants including the Bon Accord Recycling Centre (BARC), and manages more than a dozen third-party landfill sites nationally under a managed-services model.

The underlying technology spans a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) that recovers 20-75% of incoming waste, a fully automated baling machine producing up to 4,000 tonnes/month of export-quality bales, split-refuse compactor vehicles for simultaneous wet/dry collection, roaming buy-back vehicles with on-board scales and printing, and weighbridge management systems with dual in/out weighing per site. The two private landfills handle in excess of 24,000 tonnes of waste per month and the MRF can sort and treat up to 10,000 tonnes of semi-dirty waste per month. The company follows a 5R philosophy (Rethink, Re-use, Reduce, Recycle, Remove) and is developing the Waste City project at Mooiplaats — a 196-hectare integrated waste management hub projected to serve provincial waste disposal needs for 60 years.

Revenue is generated through per-ton landfill tipping fees, collection and transportation services, skip hire, recycling processing and sale of baled recyclables, third-party landfill management, landfill construction and rehabilitation, and specialist services including hazardous waste handling, goods destruction, and waste classification. Go-to-market is sales-led with tailor-made solutions by sector, supported by direct fleet collection, self-delivery drop-off at landfill sites, buy-in centres, and a 2019 referral partnership with Open Sky Recycling. Marketing is conducted through Google AdWords remarketing, community forum and homeowners' association presentations, print materials, and liaison with local councillors.

Name

The Waste Group

Legal name

The Waste Group

Website

https://wastegroup.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Waste Group is a vertically integrated South African waste management and recycling company operating across five provinces, owning two ISO 14001-certified private landfill sites and three recycling processing plants, serving domestic, commercial, industrial, mining, municipal, and hazardous waste sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Hazardous Waste Management (4955), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Office Waste Collection (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hazardous Waste & Universal Waste Handling (Batteries, Lamps, Aerosols) (BPABALAE), C&D Waste Collection & Hauling (BPALAJAA), Medical & Biohazardous Waste Management (RMW, Sharps, Pathological) (EUAIAFAE)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Recycling services
• Landfill management
• Skip hire services
• Hazardous waste disposal

Headquarters

HQ city

Pretoria

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-Ton Landfill Fees: Clients pay per ton for waste disposal at landfill sites. Account arrangements can be made for clients who require regular disposal services.
2. Waste Collection Services: Collection and transportation of domestic, commercial, industrial, mining, medical, hazardous, and municipal waste. Fees based on service type, frequency, and volume.
3. Skip Hire: 3m3 or 6m3 skips available for rent for up to seven days. Prices calculated according to area.
4. Recycling Processing Services: Processing and baling of recyclable products at company-owned facilities. Purchase and baling of clean, pre-sorted waste. Revenue from sale of baled recyclables.
5. Third-Party Landfill Management: The company manages almost a dozen third-party landfill sites nationally, providing operational management, compliance, and rehabilitation services.
6. Landfill Construction and Rehabilitation: Planning and construction of new landfill facilities or rehabilitation of sites no longer in use. Includes excavations, clay sourcing, lining, road construction, and stormwater system design.
7. Specialist Services: Goods destruction and safe disposal, waste classification services, hazardous material handling, low bed transportation services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Waste Group is a South African integrated waste management company providing waste collection, recycling, and landfill disposal services to households, commercial estates, mining and industrial operators, municipalities, and the medical sector. The company operates its own permitted landfill sites (Bon Accord and Mooiplaats), Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), automated baling operations, and skip-hire logistics, and is developing an integrated 'Waste City' facility. Downstream of collection, the company also purchases recyclable materials from the public through Buy-In Centres and roaming buy-back vehicles.

Product overview

The Waste Group operates as an integrated waste management and recycling service company offering a comprehensive suite of services across South Africa. The core offerings include Waste Management Services (domestic, commercial, mining, medical/hazardous, municipal, and building rubble removal), Recycling Services (with three state-of-the-art processing plants including the Bon Accord Recycling Centre), and Landfill Management Services. The company owns and operates two private landfill sites: Bon Accord Landfill (north of Pretoria) and Mooiplaats Landfill (between Pretoria and Johannesburg). Supporting services include skip hire, goods destruction, waste classification, low bed transportation, and specialized hazardous waste handling. The company is developing the Waste City project at Mooiplaats for integrated waste management including composting, materials recovery, and proposed waste-to-energy facilities. Services are delivered to domestic, commercial, industrial, mining, municipal, and educational sectors across Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KZN.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waste Management Services End-to-end general waste collection, transport, and disposal service for domestic, commercial, industrial, mining, municipal, educational, events, and construction clients across South Africa.
• Recycling Services Sorting, processing, and baling of recyclable materials through Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and automated baling machines for downstream sale.
• Landfill Management Services Permitted landfill disposal operations using ISO 14001-aligned, GLB-/B-Liner engineered landfill cells for safe, compliant disposal.
• Bon Accord Landfill Site Company-owned permitted landfill site in the Pretoria area accepting general and industrial waste for disposal.
• Mooiplaats Landfill Site Second company-owned permitted landfill site operating as part of The Waste Group's integrated disposal network.
• Skip Hire Rental of skips delivered and collected by the company's fleet for general, construction, and event waste streams.
• Buy-In Centres and Roaming Buy-Back Service Fixed Buy-In Centres plus roaming buy-back vehicles with onboard scales that purchase recyclable materials directly from households, informal collectors, and small generators.
• Medical & Hazardous Waste Removal Specialised collection, transport, and disposal service for medical, clinical, and hazardous waste streams for healthcare and industrial generators.
• Mining & Industrial Waste Management High-volume waste and rubble removal service tailored to mines, factories, and heavy industrial sites, including building-rubble disposal.
• Municipal Waste Services Contracted waste collection and disposal services supplied to municipalities and public-sector clients.
• Goods Destruction and Safe Disposal Secure destruction and disposal service for expired, recalled, or unwanted goods requiring certified handling.
• Low Bed / Heavy Haulage Services Low-bed transport service for heavy machinery, equipment, and large waste loads supporting industrial and construction clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98,000 tons of CO2 saved annually through recycling efforts (equivalent to almost 98,000 less cars on the road for a year)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Open Sky RecyclingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 January 2019Following termination of The Waste Group's curbside collection service in January 2019, the company established a referral partnership with Open Sky Recycling to continue providing recycling options to customers. Open Sky operates on a different business model and customers are referred to Open Sky's website or phone number for continued recycling services.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stericycle: US-based regulated waste management company specializing in medical waste and secure information destruction. Comparable in hazardous/medical waste handling segment, though operating at much larger scale in a developed market.
• Remondis: One of the world's largest privately held recycling, service, and water companies with extensive waste management operations across Europe and globally. Comparable integrated services and family/private ownership structure, though operating at much larger international scale.
• Clean Harbors: North American leader in hazardous waste management and environmental services. Comparable specialization in hazardous, medical, and industrial waste streams with similar focus on regulated, high-compliance waste handling and disposal.
• Republic Services: Major US integrated waste management company providing collection, recycling, and disposal services. Comparable business model with focus on regulated landfill operations and recycling services, though operating at much larger scale in a mature market.
• Waste Management Inc. North America's largest integrated waste management company operating collection, transfer, recycling, and landfill services. Comparable business model with vertical integration across the waste value chain, though operating at vastly larger scale in a developed market.
• Veolia Environmental Services: Global environmental services leader offering waste management, recycling, and resource recovery across multiple continents. Comparable integrated services including landfill management, MRF operations, and specialized industrial waste handling, though operating at multinational scale.
• SUEZ (Suez Recycling and Recovery): Global waste management and water services company with significant operations in waste collection, recycling, and landfill management. Comparable end-to-end waste value chain integration with comparable services across municipal, commercial, and industrial customer segments.

Direct peers

• Interwaste: South African integrated waste management company providing collection, recycling, and disposal services across multiple provinces. Direct competitor with comparable commercial, industrial, and hazardous waste offerings and similar geographic focus within South Africa.
• EnviroServ Waste Management: South Africa's largest waste management company, providing integrated hazardous and general waste management services. Direct competitor operating in the same South African market with similar multi-segment coverage including industrial, commercial, and hazardous waste streams.

Emerging players

• Averda: Emerging markets waste management company operating across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia with integrated collection and disposal services. Comparable focus on developing market waste management with similar multi-country growth orientation and integrated service model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thewastegroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-waste-group-south-africa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Waste Group