It has been suggested that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the world’s oceans than fish – and Egypt plays a role in this crisis. A 2019 report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) revealed that Egypt is the biggest contributor in terms of waste mismanagement of all Mediterranean countries, with the coastal city of Alexandria leaking an average of 12.7 kilograms of plastic into nature per person. This is where Banlastic comes in. The Alexandria-based social enterprise has one clear goal, which is working towards the eventual ban of single-use plastics in Egypt. Ahmed Yassin, one of the founders, told us about Banlastic’s vision. “We launched Banlastic in Alexandria in 2018 in response to the plastic pollution which is infesting our seas. Not only this, but we discovered in 2017 that storm drainage systems in the city were badly blocked with plastic bags,” says Ahmed. “We realised that we can’t stand still and not try to find a solution to the prominence of single-use plastic.” Those behind the social enterprise have been working tirelessly to find innovative solutions, including through advocacy for legislative change. Egypt’s…
