Egypt’s Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad announced before the Local Administration Committee of the House of Representatives that the country is aiming to achieve a 60% recycling rate for municipal solid waste by the year 2027, up from just 10% when the waste management system began in 2018.
She explained that, by the end of 2024, recycling rates had already increased to 37%, with the goal set to reach 60% by 2027. This effort is expected to secure raw materials for organic fertilizer and alternative fuels, supporting Egypt’s circular economy agenda.
The minister emphasized that the Waste Management Law is designed not only to promote recycling but also to attract private-sector participation in infrastructure. Initially, the system included just two public-private contracts; that number has since surged to 36 contracts covering waste collection, transport, treatment, and recycling—many introduced simultaneously across several governorates to speed nationwide implementation.
In addition, Dr. Fouad highlighted innovative initiatives converting waste to energy—such as landfill gas and sewage sludge projects. Notable success stories include the transformation of landfill gas at Al-Salam landfill and sewage sludge at Abu Rawash into energy sources, backed by a new feed-in-tariff approved by a multi-ministerial committee.
Financing these ventures has involved activating legal fees stipulated in the Waste Management Law, tapping property tax revenues, drawing from provincial development funds, and introducing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), starting with single-use plastic bags as of February 2025, and soon to include other packaging and metallic products.
Fouad also noted that the newly formed Waste Management Regulatory Authority, transformed into an “economic authority,” successfully generated a surplus of EGP 45 million, validating the financial viability and impact of the legal reforms.
Minister Fouad outlined the journey from 2018 to date: a sizeable leap in recycling rates and collection efficiency (rising from 60% to 74%), extensive contract rollouts, and the expansion of recycling infrastructure across governorates—including urgent interventions in Giza and Qalyubia.
Her closing remarks thanked all stakeholders—government, parliament, private sector, and ministry staff—for their collective cooperation in building and advancing Egypt’s integrated waste-management landscape.
Source: Egypt Today
