CAIRO - 29 May 2026: The issue of waste in Egypt has transformed from an environmental crisis into an investment and economic opportunity for ordinary citizens, especially with the activation of mobile applications supported by the Ministry of Environment.
These applications allow citizens to dispose of solid or electronic waste in exchange for money or vouchers for essential goods.
Monetizing Electronic Waste
Smart collection points are now being deployed in major squares across the governorates to encourage citizens to separate waste at the source, such as plastic, paper, and metals, thus increasing its value upon return.
As for electronic waste, such as old mobile phones, chargers, and computers, the Ministry of Environment has launched the "E-Tadweer" application, which grants users exchange points that can be used at popular retail chains.
This measure not only generates financial returns but also helps protect families from the risks of toxic emissions resulting from storing damaged batteries or old screens inside homes.
These items are classified as hazardous waste requiring special handling and safe disposal methods.
This initiative aligns with the state's direction towards supporting the circular economy and promoting a culture of recycling, thereby achieving economic benefits while simultaneously preserving the environment and public health.
As per the new system, citizens will not dispose any old computers, mobile phones or I pads in the trash cans.
“The ministry is keen on launching awareness campaigns to raise public awareness, and provide them with alternatives,” former Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad said in March 2020, adding that the ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of Health to manage medical waste, where new technologies will substitute burning the waste.
The Egyptian Ministry of Environment previously announced that it will start applying the government’s plan to close the unsafe landfills in Cairo and Giza and change them into facilities of public services.
Late January 2020, Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Sharawy confirmed in the Parliament’s plenary session that the ministry allocated LE 12 billion [more than US$ 761 million] to implement a new garbage system. He asserted that the ministry eliminated more than 26 landfills nationwide.
In June 2019, six cities in the Red Sea governorate, southeast Egypt, started to apply measures to limit the use of plastic, namely Hurghada, Safaga, Marsa Alam, Qoseir, RasGhareb and Shalateen.
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