Trade Ministry issues new guidelines on importing scrap plastic, rubber

Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Kabil issued yesterday new guidelines that allow importing plastic and rubber waste , according to a ministry statement. The decision, made in coordination with the Environment Ministry, removes plastic and rubber waste from a list of banned hazardous waste, allowing their import for recycling, provided they come with a certificate from an accredited lab stating active contaminants above the legal limit. Only factories licensed by the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) are allowed to import the materials, and only for recycling purposes. Other facilities approved by environmental and industrial authorities can use the imported materials as alternative fuel.