Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called for accelerating efforts to implement solid waste management plan nationwide through the use of most up-to-date scientific means as a major goal of the state to improve environmental, health and living conditions of the Egyptian people, and reduce pollution in residential areas.
The president remarks came during his meeting on Thursday with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Sharaawi, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Assem el-Gazzar, Cairo Governor Khaled Abdul Al, Presidential Advisor for Urban Planning Amir Sayed Ahmed, and Chairman of the Armed Forces Engineering Authority.
President Sisi was briefed on the executive position of efforts to manage municipal solid waste, as well as collection and transport service and street cleanliness, being carried out in coordination between the ministries of local development, environment, and housing, Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said.
The new waste management system is based on main pivots for the development of the infrastructure for establishing healthy landfills, intermediate stations, and recycling plants in line with the globally-acknowledged criteria.
It also includes closing down the random landfills, and engaging the experienced private sector, besides merging the informal sector in the system.
The president stressed that the system should be integrated, in a way that includes the collection, transport and recycling of solid waste, in addition to safe disposal. He underlined the necessity of complete closure of the random landfills.
According to Ambassador Radi, the meeting also reviewed the key elements of the new national strategy for managing the construction and demolition waste across the nation, which receives great attention from the state amid the speedy and unprecedented development projects being implemented nationwide, particularly at the level of infrastructure, and building new cities. The annual volume of this waste hits up to 40 million tonnes.
President Sisi gave directives on the continuation of the efforts to manage construction and demolition waste, amid the present and mega construction and urban projects in the country, as well as plans for future ones, Radi noted.
