ILD CLEAN NEWS ...

[Klaus]

review DEAS administrative council meeting 15.4.2008

- Legality needs final approvement of the state security
- election of another member to the administrative council
   ( now 9 members including 2 foreigners and 2 women )
- plan for meeting with the Mayor of Dahab and the Gouverneur of Sinai
- next DEAS administrative council meeting today 17.4. 8pm

looking forward with new motivation

[Klaus]

in following you'll see our draft of the Dahab CLEAN action plan
suggestions welcome

Action Plan for Dahab Environmental Advancement Society

Clean Community Dahab


responding to Environmental Action Plan for South Sinai


Dahab Environonmental Advancement Society’s (DEAS) project “Clean Community Dahab” has an objective target to keep Dahab and the sea clean, and to make Dahab a role model in waste management in Egypt, by managing the waste in an environmental-friendly, effective and profitable way.


1.WASTE COLLECTION AND RECYCLING


         1.Waste collection:


DEAS will employ XXX to collect and divide the waste, according to instructions developed by DEAS. DEAS will provide XXX with two trucks, 22 public waste disposals and the waste site at Laguna, which is made available for DEAS from the City Council.


         2.Conditions for waste collection:


   1. The waste will be collected morning and evening from all areas in Dahab.
   2. The waste will be collected according to two well known routes. Route 1: Mubarak City – Blue Hole – Assalah – El Melil. Route 2: Laguna – Mashraba – Masbat.
   3. All waste disposals have to be emptied completely and washed with soap and water every time.
   4. 4 x 4 meter around all rubbish bins has to be cleaned and the waste, which is removed from the ground, has to be taken to the truck. The same area has then to be cleaned with soap and water.
   5. The trucks have to be washed inside and outside every evening
   6. The employees have to wear a green uniform that is washed at a laundry every day.
   7. The employees have to wear gloves and boots.
   8. The truck has to collect waste on sites where it is gathered, even if there is no waste disposals, and clean the area after removing the waste.
   9. The collected waste has to be taken to the waste site in Laguna area for dividing and recycling.


1.3 Actions from DEAS to help the waste collection:


   1.  Provide Dahab with 22 public waste disposals (currently stored at the City Council’s locations).
   2.  Decide the location of the rubbish bins according to experience of which locations have the strongest need for public waste disposals.
   3. The bottom door of the disposals will be permanently closed to reduce the problem of animals spreading the collected waste.
   4. Apply a sufficient text in Arabic and English to all rubbish bins to encourage inhabitants of Dahab to put the waste in the bins, not outside.
   5. Stay in dialogue with the manager of XXX to keep the standard as intended and ensure an understanding of the target and the way to reach it.
   6. Monitor the supervision of the waste collection and make sure it is done according to the instructions set by DEAS.


1.2. Recycling


XXX is responsible for dividing of the waste collected from Dahab, and to send a maximum of it for recycling to YYY in Cairo.


1.2.1 Instructions for recycling:


   1. The collected waste has to be divided in following categories: Plastic, paper, glass, metal and not-recyclable material.
   2. The waste site in Laguna area has to be clearly divided in sections for different kind of recyclable material, under supervision of DEAS.
   3.  Plastic, paper, glass and metal shall be shipped to YYY in Cairo for recycling.
   4. The not-recyclable material shall daily be burnt on site.


1.2.2 Actions from DEAS to help the recycling


   1.  Divide the waste site in Laguna in areas for different kind of recyclable material
   2.  Ensure that a maximum of the collected waste is sent for recycling by visits to the waste site.
   3.  Provide XXX with necessary information from YYY about recyclable waste.


         3. Clean-up Dives


DEAS will establish a system for regular clean-up dives, in co-operation with the dive centres in Dahab.


   1.  Divide Dahab in areas where the dive centres are responsible for separate areas
   2.  DEAS will send out reminders about clean up dives to the Dive Centres, according to a schedule the involved dive centres agree about.
   3. Completed clean-up dives shall be reported to DEAS
   4. Suggest that the Dive Centres involve visiting divers/students in the Clean-up Dives

2. IMPROVE THE WASTE COLLECTION AND RECYCLING SYSTEM


DEAS target to improve the waste collection and recycling system, by getting the waste divided at source. The target will go hand-in-hand with the educational work (point “3. Education”).


2.1 Replace the public waste disposals with public recycling stations


   1.  The recyclable waste will be divided at source and brought to the public recycling stations by private persons.
   2.  The non-recyclable waste will be collected from private waste disposals


2.2 Develop a model for recycling waste in the hotels in Dahab.


   1. Develop an information sheet based on experience from an existing recycling system in a Dahab hotel
   2.  E-mail campaign to all hotels in Dahab as introduction
   3.  Direct visits with printed information sheet to hotels in Dahab to convince owners and managers to divide the waste by the following arguments: 1) direct complaints from visitors and inhabitants 2) negative attention to Dahab abroad/internet 3) negative experience for Dahab visitors 4) dividing at source will increase the percent of recycled material and the income for DEAS 5) An increased income will make it possible DEAS to improve a public/private recycling system. 6) A practiced and visible recycling system gives the hotel an environmental-friendly and positive profile, which has the power to effect the perception of Dahab. stress the general attention abroad on recycling and environment 9) a routine more than an effort
   4.  Establish contact between the hotel and Bedouins to use the organic waste as animal feed
   5.  Make the necessary equipment for a recycling system available for the hotels.
   6.  Award all hotels which recycle at source with certificate/stickers etc., which also can be used in the separate hotels e-marketing


2.3 Develop a model for recycling waste in the restaurants in Dahab


The same strategy as for the hotels


2.4 Private households & small businesses


   1.  Develop information sheet for private households & small businesses
   2.  Provide Dahab with recycling stations for private households & small businesses
   3.  Focus on areas/neighbourhoods to make the changes visible.
   4.  “Cleanest street competition”. Award the cleanest street with trees, flowers etc


3. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION


DEAS will by different ways spread the knowledge of the advantages of recycling and proper waste management. DEAS aims to make all the supporters know that their efforts is necessary parts of the project, and create an understanding of “Clean Community Dahab” as an urgent matter according to the expected increase of inhabitants, visitors and waste. The positive profile for separate businesses will be focused on, together with the positive impact a clean city will have on the visitors experience of Dahab.


3.1 School classes


   1.  Establish contact with headmasters/teachers in the schools in Dahab, invite them to DEAS meetings and provide them with necessary information of “Clean Community Dahab”’s targets and methods
   2.  Encourage the teachers to spread the information to the students
   3.  Arrange one clean up day with each school in Dahab every month


3.2 The general public


   1.  Open DEAS’s garden in Assalah as a meeting point where inhabitants can meet and exchange opinions and ideas. Invite NGO’s and experts for lecturing and information.
   2.  Develop information sheet and make it available for Dahab inhabitants
   3.  Make public boards to be used as reminders for inhabitants and information for visitors.
   4.  Establish contact with the Sheikhs in the Mosques and inform them about “Clean Community Dahab”’s targets and challenges. Ask for their support by spreading the message through the loadspeakers after the Friday Prayer.


3.3 Visitors


E-mail campaign to tour operators, travel agencies and tour leaders visiting Dahab, with information about the project, and ask for support to inform individual visitors and respect the efforts.


3.3 Web forum and online information


DEAS will maintain an information/conversation forum for “Clean Community Dahab” and send updates on newsletters in Sinai.


   1.  Information/conversation forum on
   2.  Newsletter from , etc.
   3.  The newsletters and forum will invite new members to DEAS and “Clean Community Dahab”


4.PROMOTION


“Clean Community Dahab” has a great potential as promotion of Dahab in general. DEAS aims to use the potential in the following ways:


4.1 Branding


Develop a positive image of XXX in the following ways


   1.  Make sure that the trucks, rubbish bins and employees are clean and respectable, in order to shape the general opinion of a waste collection company.
   2.  Make sure the employees behave in a respectable and polite way during the work.
   3.  Invite the employees to meetings in DEAS garden.


4.2 Media


Promote “Clean Community Dahab”’s character of being a community project and a wish from the inhabitants to create a clean and healthy environment.


   1.  Invite a team from abroad to make a documentary of “Clean Community Dahab”.
   2.  Invite journalists from Egypt and abroad to Dahab, to write features about the project and the progress.
   3.  Inform environmental-friendly societies and organisations world-wide about the project, and keep them updated about the project.


4.3 Friendship City


Establish contact with a city abroad that has a waste management problem, and go hand-in-hand against the same target.


5. ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND PROJECTS WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL-FRIENDLY PROFILE.


DEAS will search for the right person to establish and run certain needed businesses. DEAS will also help promoting such businesses, and later on support with start capital. 2.5% of the profit can be donated to DEAS.


5.1 Waste disposals for private households (non-recyclable waste)


To make private waste disposals available for private households, DEAS will prepare for sale of waste disposals as a business. DEAS will search for the right person to run and establish this business.


   1.  The sale of waste disposals will bring an income for the manager of the business
   2.  The waste disposals will be sold to private households, shops, restaurants and hotels.
   3.  DEAS will help promoting the waste disposals.


5.2 Cotton bag production


To reduce the amount of carrier bags (non-recyclable), DEAS will prepare a cotton bag production as an alternative. DEAS will search for the right person to run and establish this business.


   1.  The cotton bags will bring a income for the manager of the business
   2.  The cotton bags will be sold to supermarkets, bazaars etc, and give a profit for the store to encourage the shop to use cotton bags
   3.  The logo of the major shops can be applied to one side of the cotton bag, to give a positive profile to the businesses who sell cotton bags
   4.  The other side of the cotton bag will be used for an environmental friendly message
   5.  DEAS will help promoting the cotton bags


5.3 Water dispensers


To reduce the amount of plastic bottles, DEAS will prepare for a business for water dispencers/20 litre bottles as an alternative. DEAS will search for the right person to run and establish this business.


   1.  The water dispencers/20 litre bottles will bring an income for the manager of the business
   2.  The water dispensers can be sold to restaurants, hotels, shops, private households
   3.  The water dispensers can be sold credit
   4.  DEAS will help promoting the water dispensers


5.4 Future Businesses


DEAS aims to establish a financing system to help the establishing of new projects and businesses in Dahab with an environmental-friendly target. A start capital can be given to projects and businesses that qualify as environmental-friendly and are considered to be profitable and independent. The start capital shall be returned to DEAS according to agreement, and without interest.


6.ECONOMY


DEAS depends on three different kinds of sources for financing “Clean Community Dahab”


   1.   x % of the income from the sale of divided waste to YYY. The income shall be used for information, education, necessary equipment for recycling in the private households, x salaries in DEAS and awards in “Cleanest Street Competition”.
   2.  Sponsoring from mayor companies in Egypt against attaching the company’s logo on the sponsored object, such as public recycling stations, information boards etc.
   3.   Support from funds/NGO’s/societies in Egypt and abroad. The support will be used to improve and develop the parts of the waste collection- and recycling system in general.


6.1 Budget for current waste collection and recycling


   1.  Monthly budget
   2.  Investment
   3.  Required from the City Council to fulfill “Clean Community Dahab”


7. ORGINAZATION


“Clean Community Dahab” is divided in sections with a contact/responsible for each section. Each point in this action plan has a contact/responsible, and each section has members with certain responsibilities.


Section:
   

1. Monitoring of waste collection and recycling

Name:
   


Tel:
   


E-mail
   



Section:
   

2. Improving of waste collection and recycling

Name:
   


Tel:
   


E-mail
   



Section:
   

3. Education and Information

Name:
   


Tel:
   


E-mail
   



Section:
   

4.Promotion

Name:
   


Tel:
   


E-mail
   



Section:
   

5. Establishing of environmental-friendly businesses

Name:
   


Tel:
   


E-mail
   



Section:
   

6. Economy

Name:
   


Tel:
   


E-mail   

[Klaus]

Notes from the meeting with Mr Ahmed from Hemeya 5.th of May
by Guro Broen


About Hemeya

Hemeya is an NGO (and not a private company as many of us thought) Hemeya’s concern is the service of cleaning of Dahab, not a profit.
The payment from the city council do not cover the cost for Hemeya. Money is moved monthly from Hemeya’s branch in Nuweiba to Dahab. The problem is getting by the recent increace in fuel prices.
Hemeya has 30 workers, living under very basic conditions. Mr Ahmed says he needs about 60 workers to do his work in the way he wants
Hemeya is dividing most of the waste for recycling. The prices for recycable material has dropped, (from 2500 LE to 1000 LE per tonn plastic)The not-recycable material (such as dirty plastic bags, dipers, tetra pac etc) is buried.
 

Hemeyas concerns

The poisoning of the dogs (and other animals) is a BIG problem. Not only because it is an terrible way to killing them, but also because it killes foxes etc. Mr Ahmed feels embarrassed to ask his emplyees to remove the dead animals.
To cover the cost and be able to do the job properly, Hemeya asks for a monthly 50,- LE contribution from each household in Dahab. The fee for public cleaning is paid together with the real estate tax. The government only take real estate tax from regestered properties – which meens that a big number of households in Dahab do not pay for cleaning. Against the donation, Hemeya will pick up your waste at your door.
Hemeya would like to make a campaign to reduce plastic bags, and arrange clean-ups with the schools, but do not have resources to do it.
The new waste disposals stored in Dahab City will not be available for Hemeya. It is a present from European Union to Dahab, and the why it is not used is a BIG question.
The location for the waste site in Laguna is not good and the waste site should be removed to a more wind protected area (This will probably be done)
 

Some points from our side

at least as long as there is no waste disposals, the collecting of the waste should be better timed. Hemaya should have a well-known routine so the waste can be left out in the street straight before it is collected
Encourage businesses and private households to split between organic and non-organic waste at source (as a beginning) Mr Ahmed confirmed it will make him able to recycle a bigger part of the waste and if the timing/routine of the waste collection can be managed, it will reduce the problem of animals opening the plastic bags in the streets.
 

How we could support Hemeya

Get as many households as possible for the monthly 50,- LE contribution. (Which seems fair as a big number of household do not pay real estate tax and cleaning fee) How: sms-campaign, flyer-campaign and websites/newsletters
Do our best to make the new waste disposals available for public use and try to increase the monthly payment from the city council to Hemeya (The collected fee for cleaning is probably much higher than the amount given to Hemeya. If the cleaning fee could be used for it’s right purpose, a part of the problem would be solved) How: Meeting wwith the major and Governour
Start to divide between organic and non-organic waste ourselves and encourage others to do it. (We still need to finalize the routine and system with Hemeya)
Get our cotton bag production up! What happened with magdi and the scouts? And Charly & Vivian?
 

Prepare yourself for a big clean up meeting after we have been in contact with the major/gouvernor to get information. The action plan for the project will be ready by then, and we meet to divide responsibilities and MOVE!


End of the day: It was a good meeting and we have trust in further communication and co-operation.

[Klaus]

Breakfast chat on 13/05/2008 at 10.00 am (Alf Leila)
Present: Klaus, Guro, Sherihan, Ayman, Sara, Tina, Eva, Vivienne, Walter

Minutes of meeting:

-       33 people sent a (yes) sms for waste collection at door against donation of l.e. 50 (Sherihan & Klaus)
-       We need more people to do the waste collection at door (every body)
-       Generalizing  the use of the 20 ltr water containers & water m/c dispenser & water pump (Klaus & Eva)
-       Rush can be a store for the 20 ltr water containers if needed (Ayman).
-       Making flyers for the waste collection at door, spreading around the idea of the water dispenser & pumps, collecting e-mails, clothes bags, separating organic & non organic waste from the source. (Guro & Sherihan)
-       Making a survey sheet (Clean Quality & waste Collection Survey).
-       Cotton bags replacing plastic bags in super market (every body).
-       Designing & producing 20000 pcs of cotton bags. (Vivienne & Eva) in a week time samples should be ready.
-       Donation of Euro 2000 from Ayman for the production of the cotton bags or any other clean environment activity. (thanks Ayman).
-       To have a meeting with the Mayor.(Klaus).
-       To have a meeting with Mr. Ahmed from Hemaya (sherihan).
-       To have a short plan meeting for flyers & the web site. (Guro, Klaus & Sherihan).
-       Distributing flyers & survey to diving centers.(Sara).
 

[Klaus]

Meeting with Mr. Ahmed El Ghamrawy / Hemaya on 14/05/2008

Present: Guro, Sherihan, Ahmed, Construction eng.

-       Door collection service will start by the beginning of June.
-       Considering seriously too removing the construction waste (needed loader & trucks).
-       Mr. Ahmed will come back by the 27th of May & we may have a meeting with him then.
-       Mr. Ahmed & his partner are doing a project of renewing two schools in Dahab as an NGO project funded by Vodafone.
-       2nd phase of door waste collection phase will be distributing wheeled garbage bins as custody for the people participating in the door waste collection.
-       Mr. Ahmed agreed to do the door waste collection at evening time.
-       Mr. Ahmed promised to see a great cleaning development by the end of June (Ya Rab).
-       Mr. Ahmed informed us that the Real Estate Taxes paid by registered buildings including cleaning fees does not include Garbage collection, it is just cleaning fees for the street & less than two pounds only goes to Hemaya.

[nicole]

Hi to you all,

Having read all the information here it seems that one simple but major point is missing and no one seems to have raised it!

What about Rubbish Bins?

Those of us who remember the Big Green Rubbish bins that used to be left in the residential areas for household waste would rememer that Dahab was not as messy then as it is now.

The bins may have been ugly and full of feeding cats but they provided protection of the rubbish from the WIND ; ) Yeep lets not forget Dahab is the windest city in Sinai. The wind whips up the plastic into the air and carries it across Dahab ending up in Lagoona or Wadi Gnay.

So i say lets bring back rubbish bins with lids please - this would then reduce the need for daily rubbish collection from households which seems excessive (seeing as the world wants to reduce carbon emissions and petrol useage).

Even better would be a selection of bins to seperate recyclables like glass, tin, plastic and paper.

We could also have a seperate container for food waste for the goats. At the moment they are tearing open the rubbish bags left on the street and everything goes everywhere then. Shouldnt the first thing be to control the rubbish by putting it in a suitable bin with lid to protect it from wind/cats/goats and camels.

It also seems impossible to find large rubbish bins for sale in Dahab (im not talking about the 24L kitchen size - im talking about eh European Household rubbish size 50L plus), Large Rubbish Bins with lids for large volumes of rubbish : )

Klaus and group i am happy to start a new group for the project on the subject of Bins! Let me know what your thoughts are?

Thanksand best wishes from a very messy El Melal Street

Nicole
Sheikh Salem House

[Klaus]

Bedouin Clean-Up



Hello everyone!

It is Gomaa with you (many of you know me as "Friday"!). First, thank you to everyone who supported our last clean-up. After doing this, I wish to start a full-time cleaning operation in the Dahab area - all the way to Ras Abu Galoum.

It will be full time, continuous cleaning of the beach up until the road every 10 days. Each clean-up will employ approx 15 Bedouins. All the rubbish will be brought to Dahab by camel/car, and then taken to the garbage Wadi after the checkpoint where it can be disposed properly. I should say that it is almost impossible to keep the beach completely free of rubbish all the time, but we can keep the level of trash at a minimum.

We would need LE 150/month from 50 diving centres/hotels to do the work. If we succeed, we would expand the operation until all the coastline in this area is kept clean all the time.

I had a meeting with the National Parks manager from Abu Galum who said it is possible provided it is reasonable. A meeting was held with the Mayor to explain to him the idea.

Stage 1 (50 dive centers/hotels x 150LE per month = 7500 per month):
Ras Abu Galum - Canyon 7.5km
Laguna Bay - 5.25km

Stage 2 (extra 6000 per month, from higher monthly fee or more places)

Above plus:
Canyon - Assala - 4.km
Assala - Lighthouse - 5.25km
Meridien - Caves - 7.5km

I hope you like the idea. Each month, it is less than 20 euro per place in stage 1 and just 35 euro in stage 2 (or less if more dive centers/hotels join). This seems a reasonable amount to help solving a big problem in Dahab.


We did 3 clean-ups in June:

1. Canyon to Blue Hole
2. Blue Hole to Ras Abu Galoum
3. Laguna

We would like to do more of this, but so far only 21 dive centers have sponsored us. This makes us a bit sad actually. We all love Dahab, and we all like to see it clean & beautiful. For me, this is the only home I will ever have & I don't want to see it filled with rubbish any longer.

I know July is a quiet month, but I would like to keep going with this project. Please support us - and tell other diving centers & hotels to support us - so that we can clean all 3 areas again.

In the meantime, thank you to the following for your support in June:
Aqua Dyarna
Club Red
Daniela
Desert Divers
Dive Urge
Extra Divers
Fantasea
   Fish & Friends
Hard Rock
Inmo
Laguna Divers
Nesima
OK Club
Orca
   Penguin
Red Sea Relax
Reef 2000
Sinai Divers
Sphinx
Sub Aqua
SubSinai


Thanks, as a Bedouin I don't like to see the place where we live destroyed, and wish to do something about it.
Contact Gomaa on 012 465 2267 for sponsoring and  more information.

Best wishes for a nice summer

 

[Klaus]

Red Sea and South Sinai to be first Plastic Bag Free Governorate



HEPCA is working with HE General Magdi Kubeissi, the Governor of the Red Sea, to support his decree that the Red Sea will be the first plastic bag free Governorate in Egypt with effect from 1st January 2009. This decree represents a considerable step forward in tackling the issues caused by excess rubbish and in particular plastic bags in the Red Sea.

Plastic bags pose a massive hazard to birds, turtles, dolphins and other marine creatures that are killed in alarming numbers each year after swallowing or becoming entangled in plastic bags blown out to sea. Turtles easily mistake plastic bags for yummy jellyfish. Once in the stomach, the indigestible plastic wraps itself around the intestines of the creature and it slowly starves to death. This year, HEPCA has seen an increase in the number of dead turtles washed up on the s(cencored, think about your style)s of the Red Sea. Plastic bags and other rubbish are undoubtedly to blame in many cases.

Typically plastic bags are used for only 20 minutes before being thrown out; but they will each take up to 1,000 years to rot away. During their long decay millions of bags litter and pollute our streets, the desert, and are blown out to sea where they become a toxic plastic soup that threatens the existence of marine and wild life.

The Red Sea campaign follows many high profile campaigns in Europe to limit this most damaging form of pollution. The government in Ireland introduced a bag tax, which led to a 90 per cent reduction after its introduction in 2002. In 2007, the biggest supermarkets in France imposed a ban on free carriers. They now charge between 2p and 42p for reusable bags. This has removed millions of free bags from high streets and the French government will impose an outright ban in 2010.

HEPCA will be working alongside the Governorate to suggest practical solutions and alternatives for plastic bags. As part of the campaign in support of this decree we will also be undertaking education initiatives and lobbying activities.

[Eastwind]

   FANTASTIC news!  Thanks for sharing that with us Klaus.

By the way - can you have a word with the person who wants to be a censor but doesn't know how to spell it! 

eastwind (trying very hard not to blow any plastic bags anywhere!)

[Klaus]

Individuals concerns: waste collection service from the houses

Sherihan El Gammal
November 3 at 7:44pm
Minutes of meeting
Individuals concerns
Dahab waste collection service

Attendence:
-   Ayman Abdelghafar (host)
-   Christian
-   Nina
-   Roland
-   Diana
-   Klaus
-   Sherihan
Improvments since last meeting at the city council:
-   More bins in Assala Streets.
-   Waste collection truck is more visible in Dahab.
Ideas:
-   Fund raising event to improve the waste collection service.
-   An imployee should be hired to follow the waste collection service from the houses & to follow the payments, the map & the truck route to improve service & generalize it.
-   More advertising & propaganda for the waste collection service from houses.
-   Kosseir model trial: l.e. 2.00/ each plastic bag full of plastic waste.
-   Goats away from streets.
-   Commercial fabrics bags funded by the hotels, diving centers & different business in Dahab, some of the money should go to the waste collection service.
-   A place should be addressed to, for waste collection service from the houses, to apply for the service & to collect the money at the end of the month.
Actions:
-   Appointment with Mr. Ahmed El Ghamrawy as to discuss the above within 3 days.
-   Starting fabrics bags campaign.