Tetra Pak announces concluding the Used Beverage Cartons Collection Activation Pilot

Tetra Pak, a world leading food processing and packaging solutions company, Uniboard, the leading Paperboard producer in Egypt, and Environ Adapt, a waste management company that specializes in the digital transformation, announced their pilot project aimed at collecting 500 metric tons of used beverage cartons. The project started back in December 2023, where the three parties initiated a Pilot Project aimed at initiating the collection of Used Beverage cartons (UBC) for the first time in Egypt collecting 500 Metric Tons of UBC which lays the foundation for the arrival and operation of recycling plant equipment.

Wael Khoury, Managing Director, Tetra Pak Egypt Area, commented, “this is a significant collaboration between Tetra Pak, Uniboard, and Environ Adapt. Together we have embarked on a journey to transform UBC collection practices in Egypt. He added, “The initiation of the UBC Collection Activation Pilot represents a vast leap towards sustainable waste management and collective commitment of all stakeholders to environmental stewardship”.

Ahmed AboElSaoud, Sustainability Manger Egypt stated, “the utilization of the Dawar app, managed by Environ Adapt, ensures transparency and traceability across all stages of the UBC collection process. He added, “Formal and informal collectors leverage Dawar’s digital infrastructure to streamline operations and optimize waste management dynamics, fostering greater efficiency and accountability”.

The project to recycle used beverage cartons (UBC) has reached an important milestone with the arrival of recycling equipment to Egypt. The equipment is being installed right now at Uniboard plant and this recycling line has a capacity to recycle 8000 tons annually.

The first step of this project was when Tetra Pak signed an agreement with Uniboard to establish a UBC recycling plant in Egypt, with a total joint project value of over €2.5 million. Afterwards, Tetra Pak, in collaboration with various stakeholders launched the Egyptian PACT for beverage carton waste, which was established during COP27. The Pact aims to unite businesses from across the entire value chain and create value for the local economy, including recyclers, collectors, producers, government, and NGOs, to address the end- to-end process of used beverage cartons collection and recycling.

As part of its continuous efforts to increase collection and recycling of UBC, Tetra Pak aims to collaborate with other industry players and relevant stakeholders in the public and private sectors to form a larger coalition to support the development and implementation of waste management policies and practices.

It is important to mention that recently under the auspices of the Waste Management Regulatory Authority (WMRA), numerous stakeholder meetings have been organized to foster collaboration and ensure alignment with Egypt’s waste management strategy.

On this occasion, Wael Khoury, Managing Director, Tetra Pak Egypt Area said: “Sustainability has always been the core of all our activities in Tetra Pak. We take pride to be embarking on a transformative journey to revolutionize used beverages cartons’ collection practices in Egypt. The initiation of the UBC Collection Activation Pilot represents a monumental leap towards sustainable waste management, highlighting the collective commitment of all stakeholders to environmental stewardship.”