Egypt recorded a significant decline in open burning incidents to 1,116 points during the autumn of 2025 compared to 3,490 the previous year, while the collection of rice straw rose to 2.7 million tonnes, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment Manal Awad said on Wednesday. Presenting a report on measures to combat acute air pollution, known locally as the "black cloud," to a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Awad outlined enforcement and infrastructure efforts undertaken between September 1 and November 3. The government filed 781 violation reports for the open burning of agricultural waste during this period. In a crackdown on other pollution sources, authorities removed 342 random charcoal kilns and closed 12 developed kilns. Awad reported that the volume of rice straw collected increased from 2.1 million tonnes the previous year to 2.7 million tonnes in 2025. This was supported by an expansion of collection sites to 655 from 398, and an increase in equipment, such as balers and tractors, to 125 from 73. The Waste Management Regulation Agency issued 107 licenses for agricultural waste collection and transport. To monitor compliance, the ministry established 69 axes and evening patrol committees to inspect agricultural lands daily in coordination with agricultural directorates. Regarding industrial emissions, the national monitoring network detected 198 violations of maximum emission limits. Inspections of 108 facilities in Greater Cairo's industrial zones led to recommendations for environmental compliance plans. Decisions were also issued to suspend small and medium-sized polluting industries during peak pollution periods. Vehicle emissions were also targeted, with 168 inspection campaigns conducted in Greater Cairo and 155 in the Delta and Assiut governorates. Additionally, 1,078 public transport buses in Greater Cairo were inspected. Awad noted that awareness efforts included 198 seminars and 1,100 campaigns to educate farmers on the risks of burning straw and corn stalks, promoting their use as feed and organic fertiliser instead.
