TileGreen: Egyptian Start-up turns plastic waste into tiles!

TileGreen: Egyptian Start-up turns plastic waste into tiles!

KAKALI DAS

A construction industry in Egypt has significantly contributed to the economic growth, but it also plays a role in environmental degradation.

A startup named TileGreen is addressing this challenge by transforming plastic waste into eco-friendly, cement-free tiles, recycling discarded plastic into durable building materials.

The company seeks to minimize the environmental impact of construction while tackling Egypt’s massive plastic waste problem.

Construction sites are a constant source of environmental damage, with the production of building materials like cement being one of the worst culprits, emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at alarming levels.

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“Beneath trash piles and accumulating plastic scraps, two young Egyptian entrepreneurs were inspired to channel plastic’s daunting persistence into a robust construction tool. 24-year-old Khaled Raafat and 26-year-old Amr Shalan founded ‘Tile Green’ in 2021, producing Egypt’s first eco-friendly interlocking tile, made entirely out of plastic waste.”

While this issue is a global concern, it is even more pronounced in countries like Egypt, where construction and real estate are not merely industries but the backbone of the economy.

In 2022, these sectors accounted for nearly 19% of Egypt’s GDP, with the cement industry alone contributing nearly 14% of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.

However, not all is bleak on Egypt’s construction front. A glimmer of hope emerges from a startup named TileGreen, which transforms plastic waste into tiles.

The company is tackling the massive piles of discarded plastic that typically clog streets and oceans, transforming it into eco-friendly, cement-free tiles. This process involves shredding the plastic into tiny pieces, mixing it with sand, and moulding it into durable tiles.

“We developed a technology and an industrial process that transforms all forms of plastic waste, particularly low-value plastics, into building materials. We manufacture a substance called polymer aggregate composite by mixing plastic waste with natural aggregates like sand and gravel to create a concrete substitute. This composite can be used to produce a variety of products,” said Khaled Raafat, Co-Founder of TileGreen, Egypt.

The result is a product that is both environmentally friendly and a potential game changer for the construction industry. This innovation takes place in a small factory, 80 kilometres east of Cairo, where TileGreen’s machines steadily produce around 5,000 tiles each month.

“We are currently producing interlocking tiles, but our technology enables us to manufacture building bricks, floor tiles, pillars, various precast products, and even urban furniture. Our technology has the potential to produce more than 40 different products,” the Co-Founder added.

These tiles are not just any tiles; they are interlocking, durable, and, most importantly, they do not contribute to the carbon dioxide emissions associated with traditional cement tiles.

Egypt generates approximately 4.5 million tons of plastic waste annually, with a recycling rate of between 10 and 15%. While this rate is relatively high compared to neighbouring countries, it still highlights a significant gap in recycling efforts, with much plastic waste ending up in undesirable locations.

The rest, it either litters the streets or, even worse, ends up in the Mediterranean, contributing to Egypt’s dubious distinction of being responsible for 43% of the plastic waste dumped into the sea each year.

TileGreen’s mission is therefore twofold: first, to provide a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials, and second, to address Egypt’s escalating plastic waste problem directly.

Since its launch, TileGreen has attracted the interest of local real estate developers and multinational companies in Cairo aiming to reduce their carbon footprint. The company’s eco-friendly tiles have been utilized in several pilot projects, with more planned for the future.

While TileGreen’s journey has been impressive, experts believe more is needed. Some argue that startups like TileGreen require stronger government support to scale up, as well as increased awareness among developers about the green materials available on the market.

Although the construction industry continues to be a major contributor to environmental degradation, companies like TileGreen are demonstrating that innovation and sustainability can indeed coexist.

By transforming Egypt’s plastic waste into an opportunity, they are not just producing tiles; they are laying the groundwork for a greener future.

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