Egypt launches cleaning campaign for seabed of eastern Alexandria

CAIRO – 13 September 2024: A cleaning campaign for the seabed in the eastern port area of Alexandria, a Mediterranean city, was launched by a coalition of fishermen, civil society organizations, and the Ministry of Environment. The initiative aims to address marine and plastic waste in the area.

A total of 100 kilograms of plastic metal waste, fishnets, and old ropes have been collected from the seabed by using a number of fishermen’s boats, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Environment.

The waste has been sorted out and sent to the waste recycling factors, the Ministry added, noting that Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad said that these campaigns aim at reduce marine waste in light of Egypt’s regional plan under the UNEP-MAP/Barcelona Convention which aims to prevent and manage marine litters.

Marine waste, particularly plastic, has detrimental effects on marine life, including turtles and other sea creatures, as well as on the quality of seawater.