Egypt has a mobile application to speed up the recovery of e-waste. The application called “E-Tadweer” was recently launched by the Egyptian Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, more than two years after the project was presented.
The objective is to reduce the pollution caused by electronic waste in the country of the pharaohs. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, Egypt generates 90,000 tons of e-waste per year, of which 23% comes from households, 19% from the public sector and 58% from the private sector.
People will be able to access the application after registering. They will upload photos of e-waste in their possession (computers, televisions, cell phones, etc.). And depending on the type of waste, each user will be directed to a specific point to deposit their used device. Users will then receive electronic vouchers provided by companies that receive the waste for recycling.
Read also –
In addition to preserving the environment, the initiative will help preserve the health of Egyptians, as e-waste contains harmful chemicals such as lead and mercury. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the damage to humans ranges from premature births to behavioral disorders to cancers.
The “E-Tadweer” application was developed within the framework of the cooperation between Switzerland and Egypt. The two countries launched an e-waste management project in 2016. At the time, the Swiss government committed to providing technical assistance in recycling and raising awareness on sustainable e-waste management.
Inès Magoum