Egypt has held the first meeting of a committee tasked with rolling out a national “green label” certification system for plastic products and packaging, as part of broader efforts to promote sustainability and advance a circular economy, the Ministry of Environment said.

The meeting was chaired by Yasser Abdallah, head of the Waste Management Regulatory Authority, and brought together representatives from the ministries of industry and environment, Germany’s GIZ, and a number of technical experts. The initiative is being implemented with support from the National Solid Waste Management Programme, which is co-funded by the German government and the European Union.

According to the ministry, discussions focused on coordination mechanisms required to implement the green label system in cooperation with key national bodies, including the Industrial Development Authority, the General Organization for Export and Import Control, and the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality.

Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, said the initiative represents a key step towards encouraging recycling and promoting sustainable production practices. She explained that the green label will be awarded to manufacturers that redesign products to be fully or partially recyclable without compromising product specifications, contributing to a reduction in industrial waste accumulation.

Yasser Abdallah said the certification scheme aims to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste and will apply to products that incorporate recycled materials, are redesigned to facilitate recycling, or are fully biodegradable.

Nermine Abou El Atta, Adviser to the Minister of Industry, said the initiative aligns with Egypt’s preparations for the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which is scheduled to come into force in January 2026. She expressed hope that the green label will help manufacturers reduce emissions, enhance environmental compliance and strengthen the competitiveness of Egyptian exports.

The ministry added that technical guidelines for the green label system were launched in November 2024, while a comprehensive packaging guide was completed in November 2025. Implementation of the certification scheme will follow a phased timeline designed to ease compliance for manufacturers.

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