During the year 2022, the Ministry of Environment was able to achieve a qualitative leap in the file of the waste system, and perhaps one of the most important achievements in that system was the exit of the Waste 50 initiative by 2050, which was launched by the Ministry of Environment during its presidency of the Climate Conference “COP27”, as the initiative aims to address the crisis Waste management in Africa, and dealing with solid waste management as an important opportunity to contribute to efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change at the global level.
In the report, we reviewed the most important efforts made by the Ministry of Environment throughout the year to advance this important file.
Africa Waste Initiative
The conference presidency was keen to launch the initiative to raise the issue of waste management strongly within the climate discussions, especially after the Egyptian experience in methods of waste file, especially its social and environmental dimensions, and the economic opportunities it provides in the field of recycling and the inclusion of the private sector. Therefore, Egypt prepared the solid waste management initiative for Africa, which aims To recycle 50% of the continent’s waste by 2050, as only 10% is currently recycled, which means more health effects, wasting many job opportunities, and producing more emissions, especially methane. The initiative was prepared through an intensive participatory and consultative process, and in cooperation with Development partners, to achieve an ambitious goal to increase waste recycling, and to include this goal in the plan for specific national contributions to the continent, in addition to the contributions of development partners, especially the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Program, and to provide technical support in preparing the initiative through experts, and linking this issue to reducing the use of plastic And also linking it to improving air quality and climate change on the continent, and involving the private sector. Egypt was keen, at the regional level, during the preparation of the initiative, to hold consultations with governments, especially from During the Conference of African Ministers of Environment (Yesterday), many African countries showed interest in the initiative.
Recycling 100% of the waste of the climate conference
In line with the preparations that took place at the COP27 Climate Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, which was held from 6 to 20 of last November, cleaning and waste collection work was managed and implemented in accordance with the latest international standards in that field, where the most efficient human elements qualified with distinguished expertise and refined by training were used. With the latest modern management systems, as well as the use of the latest equipment in that field, especially the use of environmentally friendly electric-powered vehicles, as well as recycling plants and containers powered by solar energy and smart collection containers, in addition to automated vacuum cleaners of various sizes and technologies to suit all work applications and without affecting the fluidity of roads. Following all international standards of security, safety, warning and maintaining a safe work environment, and to ensure the sustainability process, all generated waste was directed to the waste treatment facility and recycled again by 100%.
Waste management system
The Ministry of Environment, through its planning, regulatory and oversight role in implementing the new system for waste management, especially with regard to the implementation of infrastructure, operation and the creation of a supportive climate, has delivered 15 sanitary landfills for waste in eleven governorates, including the New Valley, Beni Suef, Sohag, Menoufia, Giza, Fayoum, Beheira, Matrouh, Luxor and Aswan and South Sinai, and work is underway with 7 landfills, and 11 fixed intermediate stations have been delivered in Cairo, Giza, Fayoum, Sharkia, Beheira, and Beni Suef, and 13 mobile intermediate stations in 8 governorates, and 9 fixed intermediate stations and 87 mobile intermediate stations are being implemented, and a treatment plant has also been completed. and waste recycling in Sohag governorate, and the implementation and upgrading of 5 other stations in 4 governorates is underway.
The work of the municipal solid waste system was also implemented, at a rate of 75%, and it included fixed and mobile intermediate stations and safe sanitary landfills. These works included removing accumulations from about 42 sites, and 87 mobile intermediate stations were supplied, and 18 fixed intermediate stations were established .
The new system for waste management focused on the role of rational waste management in order to limit the increasing effects of climate change, especially in light of Egypt’s role as chair of the current climate conference COP27, which shed light for the first time in climate conferences on waste management, as a major component to reduce the effects of climate change. Where he presented an important message to the world, about the importance of the waste file and its impact on the volume of emissions that cause climate change, and the importance of cooperation and the transfer of modern technologies to countries to address it.
During the year 2022, plans were completed for 27 governorates, whether operating contracts with the private sector for collection, transportation and recycling operations, as well as planning, organizing and monitoring the process of managing solid waste with all its 4 types of construction and demolition waste, municipal waste, hazardous waste, electronic and medical waste, agricultural waste, and municipal waste.
And work has also been done to approve the tariff for converting waste to an energy of 140 piasters per kilowatt, and start licensing companies operating in the waste system, and investments will be made for about 8 regions in the republic, as a first stage, every investor starts with the Abu Rawash area, and the ministry’s role is summarized in choosing technology, form Contract, evaluation of the contract, delivery of the investor to the governorate, ensuring that he signs the contract and solving any problem he may encounter.
With regard to the demolition and construction system, its plan was completed and presented to the President of the Republic, and the first model of the first crusher technology was made to convert construction and demolition waste into products.