Counting on calcium: Egypt recruits Okeanos to slash plastic packaging with egg-inspired alternative

23 May 2022 --- Egypt’s Environment Minister Dr. Yasmine Fouad has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with sustainable innovation company Okeanos Egypt to boost the country’s single-use plastic reduction aims. 

Okeanos’ patented Made From Stone technology makes it possible to immediately replace the majority of traditional resin with calcium carbonate, a naturally abundant and renewable mineral. Egypt aims to reduce plastic content and carbon emissions in packaging and single-use items by more than half.

Applications for the technology are apparently limitless: governments and multinational brands are currently applying Made From Stone solutions to improve film, thermoformed, blown molded, and injection molded products, including single-use products like cosmetic and food packaging.

Okeanos Egypt is a joint venture between Okeanos Group, a US-based sustainable technology company, and Income International, an Egyptian petroleum and industrial services company. 

Eggshell-inspired
Inspired by biomimicry, Okeanos’ technology aims to emulate the eggshell, which consists of 97% calcium carbonate bound together by proteins. 

Okeanos’ technology is inspired by eggshells.The Made From Stone upstream solution reduces an item’s virgin plastic content and carbon emissions and can be made recyclable or biodegradable.

Okeanos continues to work toward further reductions in overall plastic content through the ongoing development of natural binders and degradants.

Greening Egypt’s economy
Okeanos Egypt plans to invest in a plant to make its patented product for local manufacturers, tapping into a vast deposit of previously underutilized calcium carbonate, and replacing nearly US$3 billion in feedstock imports. 

Here, locally sourced Egyptian calcium carbonate will be processed with Egyptian labor to produce technical compounds that can be utilized by leading Egyptian brands. Made From Stone compounds are designed to be run on existing plastics manufacturing equipment without further capital investment.

“Introducing the innovative Made From Stone technology to the Middle East will significantly reduce the use of plastic and carbon dioxide emissions,” says Amr Sheta, executive partner of Income International. 

“The project will create many promising job opportunities in the Egyptian market through an ambitious investment plan over the next three years worth US$50 million, reducing imports of plastic materials, and impacting hard currency, further enhancing Egypt’s transformation toward a sustainable green economy.”

Okeanos Egypt will be the main manufacturing hub for Africa and the Middle East.

Involving public and private sectors
After the signing, Dr. Fouad stressed the importance of the partnership between the public and private sector and the great potential for the project to make a positive impact. This message was echoed by ambassador David Thorn, senior advisor to the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate during his introductory speech to the visiting Green-Tech Delegation, hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce and AMCHAM Egypt.The MoU boosts government support for plastic reductions and associated carbon emissions.

“The Okeanos Egypt project is proof that the Made From Stone solution is scalable, affordable, and immediate, establishing the project as a beacon of public/private cooperation in the region and an example that can be reproduced today, and not in years or decades, by governments and leading brands around the world,” explains Florencio Cuétara, Okeanos’ CEO.

Future applications for agricultural films and construction materials are currently being developed. Products using Made From Stone technology will also help to educate consumers about their environmental impact through a scannable QR code that tracks the product’s journey from ground to grocery alongside the Made From Stone peel logo, rendered in the market’s local language.

COP27
As the host nation of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) in November in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptian government says it will serve as a voice for all African nations. 

Egypt says it intends to lead by example, introducing proactive environmental initiatives and fostering innovative technical solutions like Made From Stone, to tackle the world's climate challenges. 

“The project in Egypt represents an opportunity for the country to lead the way in adopting real [environmentally] sustainable solutions to plastic pollution,” explains Dr. Yasmine Fouad.

By Natalie Schwertheim

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