![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QSMBMP6MN5W4KKXJQNYQIUENII.jpg?smart=true&auth=57a01391d1ae2d0e2f35034c2f630b8e26626108be0ea1c20a3ea428e3eb95d8&width=400&height=225)
Smoke rises as the waste is melted
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NKZNUCATT7AUFDO3P3MR6FGC7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=9e2f0875ec5220f70df626a340531392654bebb6915315b3155b11d97b8d085a&width=400&height=225)
Start-up TileGreen in Egypt recycles plastic waste into eco-friendly interlocking tiles used in outdoor walkways. All photos: AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DJKXVQURGMQBT7SNKHQTRQ7JMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=9e54b555d9ed57a352d3f9e750fd3323de38fcd836952f7c86f1ca10557d97c9&width=400&height=225)
At the factory near Cairo, mounds of plastic are funnelled into machines, shredded and liquefied before emerging as compact bricks
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DNKOZOYM2DKSPKQMEJAR6AJROQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=26e9c41201c13a85c607d0430c6678f455cc743036c07ba99f45bd910fc68e79&width=400&height=225)
Noisy machines gobble up plastic scraps of all colours, shred them and turn them into a thick liquid
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/URRUMLPVROB6IOXIS3JEDPWOYE.jpg?smart=true&auth=fa41caf1443c9acdd5257eaa0b19b6515ca0733e5b1aeb9ca6717eea44199b2a&width=400&height=225)
Each tile takes about 125 plastic bags out of the environment, says business partner Amr Shalan, 26
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HPGVHNZQSER3PTN7GS6542JAFY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f6507a5866daf3d75baa73a0e86db3851ad11a44c14b1c524b39a211cb142c4f&width=400&height=225)
TileGreen workers sort waste. On the shores of the Nile, some fishermen now collect plastic in a project by the VeryNile group. 'They could see their catches decreasing', said project manager Hany Fawzy, 47
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SJNWWOGC6H7EFM5BMF2ZPNI6JE.jpg?smart=true&auth=9bdbb1598e1c8ad24f3fdcf61f038a0c63dd60d61ab86a70513b21911f938a48&width=400&height=225)
Plastic is churned in a TileGreen mixer
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YIFCQZKV7UZWWNNLY67EI67QCY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f83b20596948ed15bae6e02dc88cecc1cb6c7936044fbec987399e1a060b79bc&width=400&height=225)
Egypt has pledged to cut its annual consumption of single-use plastic by more than half by 2030
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/URMHZ37UKZCOKQKVNZ3KYW5W7U.jpg?smart=true&auth=99e422eae014fb1a00ede6476948a27e39172706025f930475f6385d76bb10ae&width=400&height=225)
A TileGreen worker prepares moulds of plastic waste. The country generates three million tonnes a year, much of which piles up in streets
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NPJUQYHH65ZZ5YQ7ZYQLCNKOXE.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ec21a7798a127e73880233588e25bdfc4d3e1def8d6ced700564d430f7aeecd&width=400&height=225)
Plastic is shredded before being recycled
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6REP5JSTBGPL2IOZ6KA23ADA4M.jpg?smart=true&auth=3afbdceade961d85e661ce018c94f1ddda4f637690893eddcefeda8f800673b1&width=400&height=225)
In Egypt, activists have hailed what they see as a youth-led push for sustainability
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PUEVQZ3LZ5BBEA4QWV4EJGABCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=787e9074c944afed110782bb4aa0c62056494a60a3bd202098bca37d0fc36d93&width=400&height=225)
The eco-friendly interlocking tiles will be used in outdoor walkways
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E2GZBLFQLYMZYH27CBDYHOAU2E.jpg?smart=true&auth=8bc82a253e33bbb1f3750b0d9bb8bb75e118e2cdb52c5ae83d734976babb7b32&width=400&height=225)
More than two thirds of of Egypt's waste is 'inadequately managed', according to the World Bank
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZMTNA5UMKK322Y6QZHQPVY5D7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=da167714597cfcf647ca50c3c2b1329a7dd95f36566e89190f532cb404535694&width=400&height=225)
Plastic waste is dumped out of a mixer
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GPAMTHJCR25E7LPN62VLVOGCY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=1c7eb83e8eb6fcac5f615dbd51391d168e074fd387313251f9a9a27aa2b7ce09&width=400&height=225)
TileGreen's tiles are 'twice as strong as concrete,' said co-founder Khaled Raafat, 24
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OCKRTGLC2PYQEPPPQDS7AAMSJU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c535f5faffa6dfffc2ed669d139f3925b102b1bcee85b87e89124bfa3512813a&width=400&height=225)
A TileGreen worker prepares moulds of plastic
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QSMBMP6MN5W4KKXJQNYQIUENII.jpg?smart=true&auth=57a01391d1ae2d0e2f35034c2f630b8e26626108be0ea1c20a3ea428e3eb95d8&width=400&height=225)
Smoke rises as the waste is melted
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NKZNUCATT7AUFDO3P3MR6FGC7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=9e2f0875ec5220f70df626a340531392654bebb6915315b3155b11d97b8d085a&width=400&height=225)
Start-up TileGreen in Egypt recycles plastic waste into eco-friendly interlocking tiles used in outdoor walkways. All photos: AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DJKXVQURGMQBT7SNKHQTRQ7JMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=9e54b555d9ed57a352d3f9e750fd3323de38fcd836952f7c86f1ca10557d97c9&width=400&height=225)
At the factory near Cairo, mounds of plastic are funnelled into machines, shredded and liquefied before emerging as compact bricks
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DNKOZOYM2DKSPKQMEJAR6AJROQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=26e9c41201c13a85c607d0430c6678f455cc743036c07ba99f45bd910fc68e79&width=400&height=225)
Noisy machines gobble up plastic scraps of all colours, shred them and turn them into a thick liquid
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/URRUMLPVROB6IOXIS3JEDPWOYE.jpg?smart=true&auth=fa41caf1443c9acdd5257eaa0b19b6515ca0733e5b1aeb9ca6717eea44199b2a&width=400&height=225)
Each tile takes about 125 plastic bags out of the environment, says business partner Amr Shalan, 26
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HPGVHNZQSER3PTN7GS6542JAFY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f6507a5866daf3d75baa73a0e86db3851ad11a44c14b1c524b39a211cb142c4f&width=400&height=225)
TileGreen workers sort waste. On the shores of the Nile, some fishermen now collect plastic in a project by the VeryNile group. 'They could see their catches decreasing', said project manager Hany Fawzy, 47
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SJNWWOGC6H7EFM5BMF2ZPNI6JE.jpg?smart=true&auth=9bdbb1598e1c8ad24f3fdcf61f038a0c63dd60d61ab86a70513b21911f938a48&width=400&height=225)
Plastic is churned in a TileGreen mixer
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YIFCQZKV7UZWWNNLY67EI67QCY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f83b20596948ed15bae6e02dc88cecc1cb6c7936044fbec987399e1a060b79bc&width=400&height=225)
Egypt has pledged to cut its annual consumption of single-use plastic by more than half by 2030
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/URMHZ37UKZCOKQKVNZ3KYW5W7U.jpg?smart=true&auth=99e422eae014fb1a00ede6476948a27e39172706025f930475f6385d76bb10ae&width=400&height=225)
A TileGreen worker prepares moulds of plastic waste. The country generates three million tonnes a year, much of which piles up in streets
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NPJUQYHH65ZZ5YQ7ZYQLCNKOXE.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ec21a7798a127e73880233588e25bdfc4d3e1def8d6ced700564d430f7aeecd&width=400&height=225)
Plastic is shredded before being recycled
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6REP5JSTBGPL2IOZ6KA23ADA4M.jpg?smart=true&auth=3afbdceade961d85e661ce018c94f1ddda4f637690893eddcefeda8f800673b1&width=400&height=225)
In Egypt, activists have hailed what they see as a youth-led push for sustainability
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PUEVQZ3LZ5BBEA4QWV4EJGABCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=787e9074c944afed110782bb4aa0c62056494a60a3bd202098bca37d0fc36d93&width=400&height=225)
The eco-friendly interlocking tiles will be used in outdoor walkways
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E2GZBLFQLYMZYH27CBDYHOAU2E.jpg?smart=true&auth=8bc82a253e33bbb1f3750b0d9bb8bb75e118e2cdb52c5ae83d734976babb7b32&width=400&height=225)
More than two thirds of of Egypt's waste is 'inadequately managed', according to the World Bank
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZMTNA5UMKK322Y6QZHQPVY5D7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=da167714597cfcf647ca50c3c2b1329a7dd95f36566e89190f532cb404535694&width=400&height=225)
Plastic waste is dumped out of a mixer
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GPAMTHJCR25E7LPN62VLVOGCY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=1c7eb83e8eb6fcac5f615dbd51391d168e074fd387313251f9a9a27aa2b7ce09&width=400&height=225)
TileGreen's tiles are 'twice as strong as concrete,' said co-founder Khaled Raafat, 24
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OCKRTGLC2PYQEPPPQDS7AAMSJU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c535f5faffa6dfffc2ed669d139f3925b102b1bcee85b87e89124bfa3512813a&width=400&height=225)
A TileGreen worker prepares moulds of plastic
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QSMBMP6MN5W4KKXJQNYQIUENII.jpg?smart=true&auth=57a01391d1ae2d0e2f35034c2f630b8e26626108be0ea1c20a3ea428e3eb95d8&width=400&height=225)
Smoke rises as the waste is melted
Egypt's young environmentalists turn waste to cash
The start-up TileGreen turns plastic scraps into bricks
AFP
18 January, 2023
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