Nestlé Egypt launches plastic recycling initiative

Nestlé Egypt has launched a new plastic recycling initiative to support the state’s effort to develop waste management, according to a report by Daily News Egypt.

The Plastic Packaging Material Recovery and Recycling initiative – which has been formed in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, CID Consulting, and Paymob – will reportedly focus on stimulating plastic recycling and collection, starting with Cairo.

According to Daily News Egypt, the initiative was announced during a press conference in which Yasmine Fouad, Egypt’s minister of environment, confirmed that the ministry had added an environmental aspect to all government investment projects.

Fouad also noted that the ministry is building its strategy on two axes: the recycling of plastic bottles and the reduction of single-use plastics consumption.

In response to the new laws, Nestlé Egypt has allegedly advanced its collection and recycling system of the plastic used in its packaging. 

Through the partnership, Paymob will design and implement a digital platform to record processes and quantities of recycled plastics. The platform will also pay each individual registered in the system for their contribution to the initiative through electronic wallets every month.

“Our goal for the year 2025 is that 100% of our products will not have any harmful environmental effect,” said Moataz El Hout, chairman and CEO of Nestlé North East Africa, as cited by Daily News Egypt.

He added: “Nestlé International has identified 20 countries that use 50% of world plastics, including Egypt, and we seek to improve recycling rates there. The initiative focuses on supporting and stimulating plastic recycling and collection in Cairo as a start.”

Earlier this year, Nestlé Philippines partnered with Plastic Credit Exchange (PCEx) to increase the collection of soft plastic waste from several sites in the Philippines and invested $30 million in an initiative to upgrade US recycling infrastructure.