How Infinite Industries is Fighting the War Against Waste

Johannesburg, 10 March 2026 – The passion Maggie Infante, CEO of Infinite Industries, has for our planet is both contagious and impossible to ignore.

The winner of SEIFSA’s 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award is committed to spreading the message about taking care of our home, pointing out how crucial clean air and water are to our survival as well as “our responsibility to educate and preserve the planet for future generations”.

“We only have one planet Earth. Human, animal and plant life all depend on it. You just need to watch the news and see the devastating impact of climate change and the mismanagement of waste that is ending up in our oceans. This environmental impact displaces populations, destroys assets, affects our health and destabilises food supply.”

This is why Infinite Industries manufactures boards out of waste, including plastic, aluminium and paper, that has traditionally been considered unrecyclable (materials that contain multi-lamination are difficult to separate). To get a sense of the volumes involved, Infinite Industries processes an average of 2.5 tonnes of waste material per day and recycled almost 500 tonnes of waste in 2025.

The Infinite Board is an alternative to timber boards, with the advantage of being waterproof, fire retardant and maintenance-free. These boards have a range of applications, including construction, furniture, agriculture, mining, architecture and electrical.

The materials that become Infinite Boards include liquid board packaging (Tetrapak); toothpaste tubes, washing powder bags and pouch packaging (refills for cleaning products).

The planet is not the only beneficiary of Infinite Industries’ commitment. The use of materials that were previously unrecyclable also increases the waste pickers’ income.

“What this means in real terms is that there are more waste streams for waste pickers to collect and earn a living. Infinite Industries was at the forefront of initiating this value chain.”

Infinite Industries has a strategic partnership with packaging responsibility organisations (PROs), which have a mandate to find solutions to the packaging waste problem. Infinite Industries’ use of multi-laminated materials makes them valuable, meaning the buyback centres will pay the waste pickers for them.

It was Infante’s experience in the mining industry that led to her and her late husband Hugo founding Infinite Industries. “Hugo noticed their excessive use of timber in the mining industry and was determined to offer greener products to the industry. My job was to convince them to try something new and challenge the way they had done things for the last 50 years!”

They offered the miners recycled planks whenever applicable, and slowly the word got out.

The couple worked on creating an alternative for timber with limitless applications. They were convinced that the board could disrupt the industry, so “we borrowed money against our home and started doing trials. The primary focus was on materials that were being sent to landfill and had no buyback value in the recycling industry. If we could offer a solution for these materials, it would most certainly be a game changer.”

And so, the Infinite Board was created, though there have been plenty of challenges, not least the sudden death of Hugo in 2022. “Besides having two young children, one having special needs, I couldn’t let the grief consume the vision we had for the business. Identifying what my strengths and weaknesses are, I knew I couldn’t do it on my own. Having a support structure at home and with the right team working alongside me every step of the way, we have continued to grow and make huge environmental and socioeconomic impact.”

Hard work and a willingness to learn have helped keep the business on track, though there have been plenty of lessons along the way, namely:

Change is inevitable, so have succession plans in place for your business’s critical components.
You are only as strong as your team, so try to get the best possible person for the job.
Cash flow management is critical.

Even if we can’t all ensure that tonnes of waste are recycled, Maggie is adamant that everyone can do something to help.

“Changing our waste management at home and work would be the starting point. Start by having recycling bins to sort your waste into the different types. This streamlines the process and prevents the waste pickers from ‘digging’ through your refuse bags. Keep foodstuff separate and rinse containers to prevent contamination. Encourage family, friends and colleagues to do the same.

“I always say: ‘What difference can one person make?’ ask 8-billion people!’”