SIG, Plastic Bank, and GIZ GmbH have unveiled a collaborative project aimed at enhancing recycling practices and livelihoods in Egypt through blockchain technology. This initiative seeks to address Egypt’s significant waste management challenges, where more than 95 million tons of waste are generated annually, with only 60% being collected and less than 20% properly disposed of or recycled.
The partnership, spanning three years, aims to collect 700 metric tons of beverage cartons while improving the livelihoods of approximately 1,000 local waste collectors. Through the PlasticBank® app, waste collectors can log each collected item, earning incentives deposited directly into their digital wallets. Additionally, they will receive social benefits such as health and life insurance, digital connectivity, and more. The app, utilizing a blockchain-secured platform, provides transparency and traceability in waste collection, empowering collectors to convert waste into a source of revenue.
This project also plays a role in laying the groundwork for an extended producer responsibility (EPR) model in Egypt, aligning with the Egypt Waste Management Regulatory Authority’s efforts to integrate recycling into the legislative framework. It emphasizes the role of packaging manufacturers in environmental stewardship.
Abdelghany Eladib, President & General Manager of SIG India, Middle East, and Africa, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “Extending social waste collection and recycling programs like this one in Egypt will help to achieve our goals and is a blueprint for future programs.”
The project receives support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) funding program “develoPPP” and its special initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition.”