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Ahram Online
The Egyptian cabinet reviewed executive measures taken by the Ministry of Environment to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags and the ministry’s plan for the coming six months; in a meeting on Wednesday.
Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad said that the first phase of the plan was launched in 2017 through 2018, in conjunction with the national initiative to reduce plastic bags consumption.
A study has been conducted on the plastic system in Egypt reveals that about 2.2 million tons of various kinds of plastics are used annually, with a 28% of the total amounts are locally manufactured, Fouad said.
She added, ‘Consultative meetings have been held with all bodies concerned and public awareness campaigns have been launched’.
‘The second phase of the initiative which was launched in July and is set to run until December, 2019, is backed by the Red Sea governorate and includes the distribution of environment-friendly 10,000 bags while the third phase will be launched as of January and will run until March’.
Last April, Egypt’s Red Sea governorate of Hurghada became the first Egyptian governorate to ban single-use or disposable plastics.
The environment ministry launched EU-funded initiative called “Enough Plastic Bags” in 2017, to eliminate the country’s dependency on plastic bags, due to their negative effects on the environment and the economy.
Egypt’s waste output is 16.2 million tons annually, of which plastic represents 6%, according to the Egyptian Plastic Technology Centre, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Many other African counties have launched similar initiatives to end plastic bag usage; Rwanda imposed a complete ban on thin plastic bags in 2008, complete with stiff fines and even jail sentences for those caught violating the law.
