Over the past decade, Egypt’s plastic production industry has experienced remarkable growth, contributing at least 12 percent to the country’s GDP, with annual production reaching two million tons, according to a recent report by the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) of the Egyptian Cabinet. In 2022/2023, the nation generated 2.5 million tons of plastic waste, accounting for 10 to 14 percent of its total waste. The United Nations (UN) estimates that over the next decade, Egypt’s plastics market will grow at an annual rate of 10 percent, making it the largest consumer of plastics in Africa, as it already consumes 11 percent of the Middle East’s share and 0.7 percent of global production. However, Egypt is also the largest plastic polluter in both the Arab world and the Mediterranean, producing approximately five million metric tons of plastic annually. Alarmingly, a 2022 study revealed that 92 percent of fish species in Alexandria were contaminated with microplastics. Rapid urbanization, population growth, and inadequate waste management systems have exacerbated this crisis. This issue is not confined to Egypt; globally, less than 10 percent of the seven billion tons of plastic waste produced…
Egypt’s Plastic Production Industry Is Growing Fast, But So Is Recycling
September 24, 2024
