By Abbas Nazil
Egypt’s Environment Ministry has launched the first phase of a cleanup campaign targeting islands off the country’s Mediterranean coast to combat plastic pollution and protect marine ecosystems.
The campaign, launched in coordination with the Alexandria Governorate, is operating under the slogan “Sustainable Seas” and marks a renewed national effort to address marine waste along Egypt’s northern coastline.
Officials said the initiative aims to reduce marine pollution, restore damaged natural ecosystems and raise public awareness about the growing dangers of plastic waste in coastal and island environments.
The first phase involved 30 volunteers drawn from the BanPlastic and Stay Positive organizations, reflecting a strong partnership between government institutions and civil society groups.
Acting Environment Minister Manal Awad said the campaign focuses on removing solid waste, particularly plastic debris that accumulates on islands due to fishing activities, tourism and seasonal winds.
She explained that much of this waste eventually washes into the Mediterranean Sea or onto Egyptian beaches, where it threatens marine biodiversity and poses risks to human health.
During the cleanup activities, volunteers collected approximately 80 kilograms of plastic and metal waste, including discarded fishing nets and pieces of wood.
The collected materials were sorted and transported to recycling facilities, where they will be reused for economic and environmental benefit.
Parallel cleanup efforts were also carried out on Miami Beach in Alexandria, where another volunteer group removed around 90 kilograms of solid waste, most of it plastic.
Officials said these combined efforts highlight the scale of pollution affecting both offshore islands and heavily visited urban beaches.
The campaign was supervised by Sameh Riyad, head of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency’s regional branch for Alexandria and the West Delta, alongside Ahmed Ibrahim, head of Alexandria’s Central Administration for Tourism and Resorts.
Awad emphasized that the initiative is consistent with Egypt’s international obligations under the Barcelona Convention, which aims to protect the Mediterranean Sea and coastal regions from pollution.
She noted that the campaign comes at a significant time, as Egypt prepares to assume the presidency of the Barcelona Convention’s executive office starting in January 2026.
Egypt recently hosted the 24th Conference of Parties to the Barcelona Convention in late December 2025, bringing together Mediterranean countries and international organizations under the United Nations Environment Programme.
Scientific reports cited by the Environment Ministry warn that plastic waste degrades slowly and releases microplastic particles into marine ecosystems.
These microplastics can enter the marine food chain, affecting fish populations and other sea life and eventually posing risks to human consumers.
Officials said continued cleanup campaigns and preventive measures are essential to safeguarding marine resources and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
The ministry added that future phases of the campaign will expand cleanup activities and strengthen public engagement to address plastic pollution at its source.
