Ministry of Environment Launches Seabed Cleanup Project in Alexandria

The Ministry of Environment launched the Sustainable Seas campaign to clean the seabed of the Eastern Port in Alexandria, in cooperation with the regional branch of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency in Alexandria and Rotary District 2451. The initiative forms part of national efforts to protect the marine environment and biodiversity,  with participation from civil society volunteers and divers. The campaign aims to clear the entire seabed of solid waste in phases with participation, after dividing the Eastern Port into numbered sectors to be cleaned sequentially. The first phase began with the initial sector of the port’s seabed, where about 30 volunteer divers removed nearly 200 kg of waste including plastics, metals, old fishing nets and wood. The collected materials were sorted and sent to recycling facilities for economic use. Scientific reports accompanying the campaign indicated that removing this debris from the seabed helps reduce ongoing seawater pollution caused by the breakdown of solid materials and the release of fine chemical particles that can reach fish and other marine organisms. The ministry stated that protecting seas and coastal areas is a state priority as Egypt prepares to host the meeting of the parties to the Barcelona Convention - aka the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean - under the United Nations Environment Programme in December.