Mostafa Mashhour & Mohamed Emam
Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel el-Wazir, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment Manal Awad, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib, and Adel El-Naggar, Governor of Giza, witnessed yesterday the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Giza Governorate and Polar Hydro to implement a solid waste management and treatment project in Shabramant.
The agreement, funded by UK-based Polar Hydro, will transform the Shabramant landfill – spanning 714 feddans – into an advanced “bio-factory” and a sustainable public park. Operating as a special free zone, the project aims to localize advanced Z4 bio-technology to process 30 million tonnes of accumulated waste and convert it into high-value export products, including biofuels, fertilizers and synthetic graphite.
Minister Manal Awad said the MoU will contribute to implementing a project to treat waste generated from the districts and centers of Giza Governorate at a capacity of no less than 5,000 tonnes per day.
According to her, the project includes rehabilitating the old waste disposal site in Shabramant to eliminate its environmental impacts, operating the sanitary landfill established through infrastructure projects, and managing and operating the Kerdasa and Maryoutiya transfer stations.
She explained that the project comes as part of the government’s efforts to establish an effective waste management system in Egypt through full utilization and recycling of municipal solid waste, and treating waste before its safe disposal. This is within the framework of implementing the new integrated solid waste management system, under direct follow-up from the political leadership and continuous coordination among relevant ministries and authorities, in the interest of citizens.
Awad stressed the importance of completing projects under the new waste management system across all governorates to ensure citizens feel tangible improvements in cleanliness services, while maximising the use of waste as inputs for other products. This supports the circular economy approach, providing an economic resource for the state and achieving environmental and social benefits, ultimately contributing to sustainable development.
She added that cooperation on the project comes within the framework of strengthening partnerships with the private sector to achieve effective waste management, noting that Polar Hydro is a leading company in waste treatment and recycling, as well as in preparing scientific and engineering studies on environmentally friendly waste treatment technologies.
For his part, Giza Governor Adel El-Naggar said the signing of the MoU reflects the state’s direction toward supporting green economy projects and enhancing partnerships with the private sector in environmental fields, contributing to sustainable development and maximizing the economic value added from waste.
