Belgium – supermarket chain ends free plastic bags

From 1 July 2007 customers will no longer be able to pick up free plastic bags for their shopping at Delhaize supermarkets in Belgium. Expatica reports that the supermarket chain is opting instead to offer reusable alternatives based on renewable resources. Delhaize has announced this in the context of world environment day on 5 June.



Anyone who forgets to take a reusable bag with them can purchase a biodegradable bag from the cashier. Delhaize will be charging EUR 0.05 per bag. The changeover should save 720 tonnes of plastic a year.



On 1 January 2007 Delhaize also made a complete changeover to renewable energy from hydro-power plants on the Rhône. Delhaize says this move has made it the largest consumer of green energy in Belgium

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Egypt reviews Red Sea waste management system – Dailynewsegypt

Egypt’s Minister of Local Development and Environment, Manal Awad, and Red Sea Governor Walid El-Barqi held an extensive meeting to review the performance of the governorate’s waste management system and discuss measures to improve environmental services and operational efficiency. The meeting, held during Awad’s visit to the Red Sea Governorate to mark World Environment Day, focused on assessing current challenges facing waste collection, sorting, recycling and disposal operations, as well as identifying priority actions to strengthen the system’s performance. Awad stressed that the government places significant importance on developing an integrated waste management system in the Red Sea Governorate, given its strategic importance as one of Egypt’s leading tourism destinations. She emphasized the need to comply with environmental and technical standards governing sanitary landfills, waste treatment facilities and environmentally sound disposal practices. During the meeting, officials reviewed the current status of waste management operations in Hurghada, including collection, transportation, sorting, recycling and final disposal activities. Discussions also covered the infrastructure upgrades required to improve system efficiency and ensure the proper operation of sanitary landfill facilities. Yasser Abdullah, head of Egypt’s Waste Management Regulatory Authority, presented updates on temporary waste collection and sorting sites and outlined measures to strengthen operational management and oversight. He highlighted the importance of improving monitoring mechanisms for waste handling activities and maximizing the recovery of recyclable materials while reducing informal and unregulated practices.