SIG, partners launch Egypt’s first closed-loop beverage carton recycling system

EGYPT – SIG, in partnership with GIZ Egypt, Plastic Bank, Carta Misr, and TileGreen, has launched Egypt’s first operational closed-loop recycling system for aseptic beverage cartons, marking a milestone in the country’s transition toward a circular economy.

Branded “Green Jobs from a Box”, the project introduces a fully integrated recycling model that spans community-based collection, fiber recovery, and PolyAl reuse.

Over the next three years, the initiative aims to collect more than 700 metric tonnes of used beverage cartons while creating green jobs for over 1,000 local waste collectors, significantly improving livelihoods within Egypt’s informal waste sector.

The launch, supported by GIZ Egypt on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the develoPPP programme and Invest for Jobs initiative, drew government officials, diplomats, and private-sector leaders including SIG’s key customers Beyti – an Almarai subsidiary – and Juhayna.

HE Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, praised the collaboration, “The ‘Green Jobs from a Box’ initiative is a powerful example of how partnerships can advance our circular economy vision while creating decent jobs and protecting natural resources.

“It directly supports Egypt’s Vision 2030 and demonstrates the application of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).”

The system introduces several innovations: Plastic Bank’s blockchain-powered platform incentivizes carton collection while tracking materials; Carta Misr processes recovered fibers for paper products; and TileGreen transforms PolyAl, the aluminum-polymer residue, into durable construction bricks.

Dr. Yasser Abdallah, CEO of the Waste Management Regulatory Authority (WMRA), said the initiative will strengthen Egypt’s waste management infrastructure.

“By collecting over 700 tons of cartons and empowering local collectors, this project creates a scalable model that contributes to new green jobs, EPR adoption, and reduced pollution.”

Industry leaders emphasized the replicability of the model. Abdelghany Eladib, SIG’s President & GM, India, Middle East & Africa, noted, “This goes far beyond recycling cartons – it’s about proving that packaging waste can be turned into value, opportunity, and impact for people, business, and the planet.”

The initiative comes at a pivotal time as Egypt advances its national sustainability strategy and aligns with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 8, 11, 12, and 13).

If successful, stakeholders believe the model could expand beyond beverage cartons to other packaging formats, setting a new benchmark for circular packaging systems in the Middle East and Africa.

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