Egypt to establish 1st factory to produce environment-friendly bags from eggshell

CAIRO – 6 August 2022: Egyptian Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, confirmed that the state grants incentives for investments in the production of biodegradable plastic bags, and signed a contract with the U.S. to establish the first factory to produce environment-friendly bags from eggshell, instead of plastic.

The ministry also supports about 3,500 other factories that produce single-use bags, in order to follow the environmental specifications to properly produce biodegradable bags, she added.

The Minister of Environment said that the state seeks to provide biodegradable bags, as the plastic bag that is currently used does not decompose until after 400 years.

She explained that four important measures have been taken to put a price on the plastic bag, ranging between a pound or a half pound, besides circulating warnings to prevent the use of plastic bags.

The Minister of Environment confirmed that the law warned against the use of single-use bags, and Article 27 of the law included a warning against the use of plastic bags.

She went on saying that there are 3,500 factories trying to reconcile their conditions to benefit from incentives for clean production, and the incentives also include new investments to establish factories to produce reusable plastic bags that decompose.

The Minister of Environment explained that Law No. 202 of 2020 regulating waste management established a package of controls on the use of plastic bags.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, issues a system for financial incentives. and economic, tax and customs exemptions to encourage the import, production and manufacture of safe and environmentally-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic bags.

According to the law, the manufacture, import or export of single-use plastic bags should be in accordance with the controls, requirements and technical specifications, which are issued by a decision of the Minister of Trade and Industry in agreement with the competent minister, and the decision may include a ban on the manufacture, import or export of the aforementioned bags if it its components include inputs or materials that may seriously harm the environment.