CAIRO, Egypt - Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, is one of the fastest-growing types of waste worldwide and includes discarded electrical or electronic equipment such as old televisions, mobile phones and batteries. Toxic substances inside e-waste, including lead, can cause pollution and health problems if improperly disposed of through methods like incineration.
On the other hand, e-waste also contains important secondary non-renewable materials such as copper. Disposal of such valuable materials means that they are lost forever and cannot be reused. This pushes countries worldwide to mine for new materials. E-waste recycling therefore has three crucial benefits: reduction of pollution, conservation of precious natural resources, and creation of new business opportunities. The two-year agreement signed between the Embassy of Switzerland and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, valued at 1.17 million Swiss francs, will contribute to the Green Information and Communication Technology national strategy of Egypt; the basis for e-waste related initiatives in Egypt, and coordinated by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment.
