SIG has expanded its Recycle for Good initiative to Vietnam, bringing schools and students into the effort to improve the collection and recycling of used beverage cartons. The programme focuses on encouraging young people to participate directly in collecting used milk cartons and developing greater awareness of recycling and circularity.
Schools in Vietnam Join SIG’s “Recycle for Good” Programme to Give Used Milk Cartons a Second Life
SIG has expanded its “Recycle for Good” programme to Vietnam, launching an education-led initiative that aims to encourage students to collect and recycle used milk cartons while helping strengthen local recycling systems.
The programme has been introduced in Bac Ninh Province, one of northern Vietnam’s rapidly developing regions. Supported by the SIG Foundation, the initiative brings together schools, local authorities and waste-management partners to encourage long-term behavioural change around recycling and resource recovery.
Under the programme, SIG is collaborating with the Bac Ninh Province Department of Education and Training and waste-management partner Lagom. Used milk cartons will be collected from preschools and primary schools across the province before entering a dedicated recycling process.
From Classroom Collection to New Products
The collected cartons will be sent to a paper mill, where the paper fibres can be recovered and used to manufacture recycled paper products. The remaining PolyAl material—a combination of polymer and aluminium—will be further processed by Lagom into products such as clothing hangers, flowerpots and building panels.
The initiative comes at a significant time for Bac Ninh, where a major school milk programme launched in 2025 is expected to continue until at least 2030 and could involve more than one million students. This creates an opportunity to connect milk consumption with recycling education and collection at scale.
Building Recycling Habits from an Early Age
Rather than focusing solely on waste collection, the programme aims to make recycling a practical part of everyday life for students.
By involving schools, SIG hopes that children can become advocates for recycling beyond the classroom, encouraging families and communities to adopt better waste-management habits.
The Vietnam expansion follows the initial launch of Recycle for Good in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2023. The programme is now being extended to additional markets where SIG operates as part of the company's broader efforts to support a more circular approach to packaging materials.
A Circular Approach to Carton Packaging
The initiative highlights an important aspect of packaging sustainability: designing recyclable packaging is only part of the equation. Effective collection systems, consumer participation, recycling infrastructure and partnerships are equally important to ensure materials can actually re-enter the value chain.
By connecting schools, government authorities and recycling partners, SIG's Recycle for Good programme in Vietnam aims to create a more visible pathway from used carton to new product.
As the programme expands, its success could offer an example of how packaging companies can move beyond the pack itself and play a role in supporting the collection and recycling systems needed to build a more circular economy.