Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli hailed the efforts being exerted by the Environment Ministry in collaboration with various bodies concerned to combat sources of air pollution and negative practices in regard.

The premier made the remarks after reviewing a report submitted by Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad on the measures taken by her ministry in cooperation with the bodies concerned to combat Acute Air Pollution Episodes in Greater Cairo and Delta during the period from September 1 to 21.

The environment minister said in the report that 13,190 tons of rice straw were collected during the aforementioned period.

Moreover, about 221 facilities for collecting and compressing rice straw were inaugurated.

She added that 16 axes affiliated to the ministry were activated during the same period in cooperation with the bodies concerned to follow up and control the open burning of agricultural waste, noting that 614 burning points were detected and addressed.

No violations were detected in the emissions from chimneys of facilities connected with the National Network for Monitoring Industrial Emissions, according to Fouad.

Fouad noted that 80 campaigns were launched to check vehicles exhaust and 806 public buses were examined.

Data from the National Network for Monitoring Ambient Air Pollutants showed that air quality indicator during the same period was good.

Efforts exerted during this period helped avoid air pollutants of 932 tons of emissions.

Source: State Information Service Egypt