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A demonstration on Sunday protesting against the mountains of uncollected
garbage littering Cairo and Giza streets was another manifestation of an ongoing
controversy affecting sanitation in both affluent and poorer neighbourhoods. The
protest, organised by the Popular Committee for the Protection of the Consumer
(PCPC) in Giza and Kifaya, was triggered by the high piles of garbage cluttering
the streets because foreign garbage collecting companies have all but stopped
disposing of waste.

The problem is so severe, an official at the Ministry of Health told
Al-Ahram Weekly, that they received pleas from people asking them to
spray dumpsters and garbage piles with antiseptic because they were concerned
for their health. The ministry reported that it was ready to do the job, but no
means of transportation for the equipment; another ministry had so far refused
to provide any.

The European companies were contracted by the previous government headed by
Prime Minister Atef Ebeid to replace the traditional local garbage collector or
zabal. The zabal collected garbage at the doorstep of every
household for a small fee, and transported garbage on a donkey-pulled cart to
Cairo's large rubbish heaps on Moqattam Hills. The garbage would then be sorted
manually either for recycling, reuse or resale.

Ebeid decided to scrap this tradition and replace it with a group of foreign
companies from Spain, Italy and the UK who would charge every household
according to electricity consumption. These companies transport the garbage in
large sealed trucks, but instead of sorting the waste and recycling it they
either burn it and release harmful emissions into the already polluted Cairo
skies, or dispose of it in landfills.

According to the PCPC head, the entire garbage collecting scheme reeks of
corruption since he believes there is "absolutely no need" to bring in foreign
companies to collect garbage in Egypt. El-Ashqar added that contracts are biased
towards the foreign companies which incur no penalties if they don't collect the
garbage, as is the case currently. Another point of contention, is the long-term
contracts for companies which are unfamiliar and have no previous experience in
Egypt. "It doesn't make any sense," he asserted. "These foreign companies are
unconstitutional and are only a front for officials to siphon money from the
people."

Giza Governorate has refuted all accusations, saying that the foreign garbage
collectors will improve sanitation and hygiene on the streets, and bring waste
disposal in Egypt on a par with similar systems around the world. It stated that
the zabal has become an outdated and ineffective profession. While these
companies may be foreign-owned, they mainly employ Egyptians with very few
foreign staff.