SIG expands milk carton recycling program in Vietnam

SIG has expanded its “Recycle for Good” program to Vietnam, providing an education-led model for carton collection and recycling to Bac Ninh, a fast-growing region in the country. The initiative aims to encourage the collection of empty milk cartons at preschools and primary schools.

Enabled by the program, used milk cartons will be collected at schools and sent for recycling at a paper mill. The recycled paper can then be used to produce new products. 

The initiative is supported by the SIG Foundation and aims to support behavioral changes and promote recyclable waste collection, while strengthening local recycling systems.

Holger Dickers, managing director at SIG Foundation, says: “At the SIG Foundation, we work with partners to advance initiatives that strengthen communities and support positive environmental impact.”

“With Recycle for Good now starting in Vietnam, we are creating an opportunity for young people to learn the value of collecting and returning used beverage cartons for recycling — a simple action that can inspire long-term behavioral change. As the program grows, we aim to motivate even more people to join and help build a more circular future.”

Raising public awareness

In Vietnam, SIG is set to partner with the Bac Ninh Province Department of Education and Training and Lagom, a solid waste management service provider in Vietnam, as its waste management partner. The program aims to build long-term recycling habits for the public.

The PolyAl separated from used milk cartons, which is a combination of plastic and aluminum, will be processed into clothing hangers, flower pots, and building panels at Lagom’s PolyAl processing plant.

Le Trung Thong, director of Lagom, and Do Thanh Vinh, project manager of Lagom at Bac Ninh Province Department of Education and Training, say: “We are confident that, together, we can take important steps to promote recycling and encourage people to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.”

SIG notes that rapid urbanization and rising consumption are making waste management an increasingly urgent challenge in Vietnam

Nicolas Tan Yuan Hsing, head of markets Malaysia, Vietnam, and Philippines at SIG, says: “We are convinced that our project in Vietnam not only makes a difference for the students themselves, but that they also serve as advocates who spread the message of bringing about change and promoting recycling among their families and friends.”