Cairo’s governor, Ibrahim Saber, issued a directive on Monday, 22 December, requiring all shops, regardless of type, to place a garbage bin with a minimum capacity of 240 liters in front of their premises. Shop owners have been given a two-week grace period to comply with the order.
Under the directive, shops that fail to comply will face legal action by municipal sanitation authorities, including the issuance of violation reports and the imposition of a fine of EGP 5,000 (USD 105.2), in accordance with Public Shops Law No. 154 of 2019, which governs and regulates public shops in the country.
The decision assigns district heads, officials from the sanitation authority, and monitoring departments to oversee implementation and compliance, with regular reports to be submitted to the governor.
The measure follows daily inspections that found many shop owners disposing of waste in the streets without providing designated garbage bins, a practice officials said undermines the city’s appearance and poses risks to public health.
“Massive amounts of trash in Egypt go uncollected due to limited efficiency in collection and transportation,” Ahmed Khaial, Director of the governorates Plans Support Department in Waste Management Regulatory Agency, said earlier this year.
As of November of this year, 40 percent of solid waste is thrown on city streets or at illegal dumpsites. At least 30 percent of waste in Egypt goes uncollected, and in Cairo, where daily waste can reach 10,000 tons, roughly 20 percent, about 2,000 tons, can remain on the streets, according to Khaial.
The ongoing efforts underscore Cairo’s push to tackle mounting waste challenges while focusing on public health and holding shop owners accountable.
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