Egypt:
The Minister of Environment of Egypt, Yasmin Fouad, participates in the National Committee for Reduction of Single-Use Plastic Bags meeting today, December 29. During the meeting, Yasmin Fouad stressed the need to activate suitable measures to prohibit and limit single-use plastic bags in the Republic of Egypt.
As per the recent updates from the meeting, Environment Minister Yasmin Fouad talked about the swift and appropriate actions to reduce the limit of single-use plastic.
During the meeting, Yasmin Fouad was accompanied by the Executive Chairman of the Waste Management Agency, Dr Tariq Al Arabi, who led the meeting of the National Committee to limit the Use of Plastic Bags.
Furthermore, Minister Fouad also pointed out major industries related to taking rapid actions in using Single-Use Plastic Bags. In the presence of the representatives of ministries and stakeholders of the drives, Fouad pointed out a number of bodies such as trade, tourism, archaeology and finance, Local development, international cooperation, and supply and waste management machinery.
On her part, Yasmin Fouad took into consideration various strategies which aim to reduce the negative and harmful impact that overuse of plastic bags put on the health, environment, economy and society altogether. Moreover, Fouad banned the free distribution of single-use plastic bags durability from spreading awareness to reduce their use.
In addition, the environment minister directed the swift activation of roles and responsibilities, especially after the release of new specifications on single-use plastic bags,
stimulus study and fines signing mechanism in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, available and proposed alternatives that can be proposed to manufacturers and users.
As per the key sources, the meeting between the concerned government bodies also discussed and reviewed several strategic roadmaps to execute the goal effectively.
The role and responsibilities of all the stakeholders were described to them with new steps that should be put in motion to control the situation of single-use plastic bags, which will gradually achieve its results.
The procedures implemented at the national level regarding relevant laws and legislation, headed by Waste Management Law No. 2076 and its executive mandate, were also discussed during the meeting.
The step is taken by the Minister of Trade and Industry No. 2076 to establish regulations and conditions, and an opinion decision Question of the Cabinet No. 14 2020 on the application of stimulus law Investing in the industry of safe, eco-friendly alternatives instead of single-use plastic products.
Following the end, the meeting also included a presentation of efforts to support the private sector and entrepreneurship, technical support and capacity building in cooperation with several international institutions working in the field.
The included sectors coordinated with several international donors to finance many projects and help to reduce single-use bags, setting up a database of large, medium and small companies manufacturing alternatives to disposable bags.
They took it to launch a pilot electronic platform in the waste management field and establish and implement many campaigns that will raise environmental awareness about the negative effects of waste Steaks on marine, wildlife and human health.