British tourists warned little known law could see them slapped with £1000 fine for using plastic bags in Egypt
Tourists travelling to Egypt are being warned about a little known rule which could land visitors a hefty fine
PA
Tourists travelling to Egypt are being warned about a little known rule which could land visitors a hefty fine.
Holidaymakers are being urged not to use single-use plastic bags as they are banned in Egypt.
In 2019, Governor Ahmed Abdallah banned single-use plastic and anyone found in possession of it could be slapped with a fine of up to £1,000.
The law applies to restaurants, coffee shops, groceries, and pharmacies as well as safari trips and boats.
In 2019, Governor Ahmed Abdallah banned single-use plastic and anyone found in possession of it could be slapped with a fine of up to £1,000
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To help tourists avoid hefty fines while travelling this summer travel experts at eShores have shared the most surprising ways Britons could be fined.
While the fines may vary between people and businesses, tourists should not use single-use plastic bags in Egypt to avoid any contact with the local authorities.
Egypt has been working on reducing plastic consumption through a national strategy which aims to eliminate the negative impact of plastic on health, the environment, the economy, and society.
The country has pledged to more than halve its annual consumption of single-use plastics by 2030 and to build multiple new waste management plants.
An Egyptian startup, TileGreen has already put excess plastic bags to good use by turning the plastic into tiles.
Machines take the huge amounts of plastic scraps, shred them and turn them into a thick liquid.
The sludge - made from all kinds of plastic - is then moulded into dark, compact bricks that are used as outdoor pavers for walkways and garages.
"So far, we have recycled more than 5 million plastic bags, but this is just the beginning," TileGreen co-founder Khaled Raafat said.
Tourists travelling to Egypt are being warned about a little known rule which could land visitors a hefty fine
PA
"We aim that by 2025, we will have recycled more than 5 billion plastic bags."
It comes as New Zealand implement a ban on thin plastic bags commonly used by supermarket customers to collect fruit and vegetables.
The new ban will also extend to plastic straws and silverware, as the government expands its campaign against single-use plastics.