Chairman and Managing Director of Nestlé Egypt Tarek Kamel said the company has managed to collect about 75,000 tons of plastic over five years—an average of 15,000 tons per year, as Nestlé has voluntarily adopted circular economy principles since 2020.

He said “We have now reached a stage where we are recycling what we bring into the Egyptian market, which is a significant achievement in line with our environmental commitments.”

He stressed that Egypt needs to take faster steps toward full adoption of the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

Although Nestlé Egypt values profit, it is also aware of the challenges posed by packaged products, which are increasing with population growth and increased urban migration—making it an issue that must be addressed.

He outlined that the EPR system comprises four main stages; The first stage is manufacturing where products are packaged in plastic containers, the second stage involves the post-consumption phase and raises questions about the availability of infrastructure to support sustainability, the third stage is the recycling process, and the fourth stage is consumer awareness—specifically, the willingness to purchase recycled products.

He stressed the importance of full compliance with EPR principles, especially the separation of waste at source, noting that this step significantly reduces costs compared to sorting waste later during final processing.