Egypt is moving ahead with plans to apply an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system to selected packaging materials, reported Daily News Egypt. 

The move is said to be part of a broader policy aimed at reducing landfill disposal, expanding recycling and advancing a circular economy.

Egypt's Local Development and Environment Minister Manal Awad discussed the preparations with Yasser Abdallah, chief executive of the Waste Management Regulatory Authority.

The ministry said the digital platform for the EPR scheme has been completed and is ready for launch through the country’s Waste Information Management System (WIMS).

Under the system, producers and importers will be able to register and report the volumes of packaging materials they place on the domestic market.

Awad called for easier registration procedures to support participation by companies subject to the scheme.

During the meeting, officials determined which packaging materials will be prioritised in the initial stage, following consultations with private-sector participants and other stakeholders.

The publication added that assessments of the relevant value chains indicated that the scheme could cut the share of waste directed to landfill, reinforce circular economy practices and generate employment in recycling.

The discussion also covered the shift from legislation to practical implementation after a prime ministerial decision set out the products included in the system, the obligations on producers, the fees to be applied and the duties of the involved authorities.

According to the report, officials also reviewed the national WIMS, which handles electronic licensing, approvals and permits for activities related to waste and hazardous material.

The system includes licences and approvals for the collection, transport, treatment and secure final disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste.

It also includes permits for waste exports and imports of non-hazardous waste used as industrial inputs.