Egyptian Environment Minister, Yasmine Fouad announced on Friday that a presidential directive is in place to limit the use of single-use plastic bags.
She said that plastic bags, used on average for only 12 minutes before being thrown out, can last over 400 years until decomposing.
During a telephone interview with media host Mohamed al-Gheity on the “al-Shams” channel, the minister added that the state’s plan to get rid of plastic bags begins by raising awareness with seminars in tourist places in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh regarding the danger of plastic bags.
Plastic bags flying into oceans are harmful to wildlife, she noted.
Fouad pointed out that the state issued a set of incentives to factories to replace plastic bags, and that the first memorandum of understanding was signed with an American-Egyptian company that recycles plastic bags at a value of two million dollars.
The minister announced in March 2021 a three-year project valued at three million dollar plan which aims to eliminate single-use plastic bags in Egypt.
The project, which is funded by Japan and implement by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is part of a larger initiative to reduce the amount of plastic waste that is littered into the environment.
