Egypt’s Parliament initially approved, on Wednesday, a draft law put forward by the Ministry of Environment regulating waste management, following two years of preparations. The daft law is considered to be a major step towards handling and overcoming the waste issue.
During a plenary session at the parliament, Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad said the legislation is an important step towards implementing a system of integrated waste management of all kinds, rather than just municipal waste.
“This law is the legislative aspect regulating waste management in Egypt,” she noted.
The minister added that the law identifies waste as a pollutant, and outlines the roles and responsibilities of all parties in the waste management process.
During the session, Fouad briefed parliamentary representatives on her ministry’s plan regarding waste collection fees. She said that those fees will be used in operating the waste system management infrastructure and recycling industry.
The law regulates the use of single-use plastic bags, and suggests alternative solutions in accordance with the related roles and regulations currently present in Egypt.
