In a massive relocation project, Helwan Governorate is getting rid of its cement factories and other industries that create heavy pollution. In coordination with the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Industrial Development Authority, 93 such industries and 250 brick factories will be relocated over eight years. Estimated to cost tens of billions of pounds, this clean-up project in the industrial and residential district of Helwan-- in the Southeast corner of Greater Cairo--is scheduled to take place in two phases from 2011 to 2015, and from 2015 until 2018. It is unclear where the factories will be relocated, although some media sources have indicated that a likely site is Kuraymat, a town in the Upper Egyptian governorate Beni Suef. The Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs has decreed that these industries be moved beyond the densely populated metropolises of Greater Cairo and Alexandria and has also excluded the popular tourist destinations Aswan, Luxor and the Red Sea area. Amr Assal, president of the Industrial Development Authority, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that they are still studying where the factories may be relocated, but said it is likely to be a site in Upper Egypt. Assal declined to comment on whether the new location would be Kuraymat or elsewhere in the Beni Suef Governorate. According to Assal, the first phase of the project involves only the relocation of three cement factories. "The first phase will involve relocating 25 percent of the cement factories' production power, this is estimated to cost LE12 billion." He said a relocation agreement has been reached with Italicementi, which operates the privatized Helwan and Tourah Cement plants, but deliberations are ongoing with state-owned Egyptian Cement Company over a schedule. "There is some resistance from (cement) producers, but they must abide by the established environmental standards," Assal said, adding that the clean-up project "will be entirely self-funded by companies and producers." He cast doubt upon news reports that the two phases of relocation would cost a total of LE40 billion. He did not specify a different figure, but said his calculations indicated that it may cost well over LE40 billion. “We are beginning with the cement companies, because they are the most environmentally polluting and hazardous industries in Helwan," he said. The second phase will relocate 75 percent of the cement companies' production facilities, along with large iron and steel companies and smaller-scale industries. Smaller industries include coal, ceramic and brick factories, starch and amylum processing plants and yeast-fermentation industries. The Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs could not be reached for questions regarding relocation plans. However, according to environmental management consultant Ahmed Dorghamy, all of these industries release significant amounts of pollutants into the air, water and soil of Helwan. Beyond their environmental impact, the operations of cement factories in particular have serious detrimental effects on the health and well-being of local residents, he said.
