The new project would aid in the creation of job opportunities for people in the electronic waste treatment field CAIRO: Egypt’s Ministry of Environment is preparing to launch the E-Tadweer application, which will enable people to dispose of their electronic waste. The public will also receive discount vouchers when purchasing electronic appliances from companies that support the application. The application, launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, helps people to reduce their consumption of electronic devices. Egyptian Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad announced that the government had granted seven licenses to factories so they could safely recycle electronic waste. Fouad said that the amount of e-waste in Egypt is about 88,000 tons annually. Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat met Fouad and the Swiss Ambassador to Egypt Paul Garnier to discuss ways to help sustainable recycling projects in Egypt. FASTFACTS • The application helps people to reduce their consumption of electronic devices. • The government granted seven licenses to factories so they could safely recycle electronic waste. • The amount of e-waste in Egypt is about 88,000 tons annually. This followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Communications and the Swiss Embassy in 2016 to support the integration of small- and medium-scale companies in recycling electronic waste in Egypt. It was agreed to extend the duration of the project from 2020 to 2023. Talaat said that since there was a trend toward greater digitization, measures were needed to safely dispose of electronic waste in an environmentally friendly manner. The minister said that the new project would aid in the creation of job opportunities for people in the electronic waste treatment field. He said this would include programs to train a number of people to prepare them to work in the field. The Swiss Embassy is to take part in the endeavor by providing technical support in safely managing electronic waste. Following the steps being taken toward a safer disposal of electronic waste, an awareness campaign will be launched on the dangers of not disposing of electronic waste safely, and educating people on proper methods of disposal.