SIG, in collaboration with Plastic Bank, Carta Misr, and TileGreen, has introduced what it describes as Egypt’s first fully integrated recycling solution for used aseptic beverage cartons.
Currently, Egypt lacks a formal waste collection and recycling infrastructure. This partnership aims to address the full cycle of the recycling process—from collection to repurposing—creating both environmental and economic impact.
Plastic Bank, a social enterprise, is leading the collection process. Using a blockchain-secured platform, it ensures full traceability and transparency, while also helping waste collectors turn discarded cartons into a reliable source of income.
Once collected, the cartons are sent to Carta Misr, a local paper mill, where paper fibres are separated from the aluminum and polymer layers to produce high-quality recycled paper. The remaining PolyAl mix is then repurposed by Egyptian startup TileGreen into durable interlocking bricks, such as those used in roof tiles and pavement.
The initiative not only supports sustainable waste management but also provides stable employment opportunities for waste collectors and encourages consumer engagement through visible, practical applications of recycled materials.
This follows an earlier project launched by SIG in partnership with Plastic Bank and GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), which aimed to collect 700 metric tons of beverage cartons and improve the livelihoods of around 1,000 waste collection workers in Egypt. That initiative also leveraged blockchain to monitor the process and laid the groundwork for an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model in the country.
In parallel developments, Tetra Pak and Schoeller Allibert have collaborated to create a transport crate made from PolyAl, which will be unveiled at the Plastics Recycling Show in Amsterdam on April 1–2, 2025. Tetra Pak plans to gradually replace more than 50,000 crates at its global spare parts distribution centre in Lund, Sweden, with this recycled version once validated.
Source: packagingeurope.com
