Biodiversity and Waste Disposal
Introduction
Like many countries, Egypt’s population of 72 million produces large amount
of waste, Egypt generated an estimated 15.3 million tons of municipal solid
waste in 2001. It also generates annually 20 million tons of agricultural waste,
6.2 million tons of special waste (of which 0.3 million tons is hazardous
waste), 4 million tons of demolition waste and 130,000 tons of medical waste.
Until the autumn of 1998 there was no policy at all for the disposal of this
waste, apart from dumping it in the desert. Now there are many designated
landfill sites where it is buried. 88 percent of the collected waste is disposed
of in open dumps in urban areas, or left in the streets or dumped in drainage
canals in rural areas. Some composting (8 percent) of the organic waste is
practiced, but, it has not generally been sufficiently treated. Some recycling
activities are undertaken in some cities (particularly Cairo). Burning waste at
dumping sites or as a result of aerobic decomposition (self ignition) in open
dumps were common methods of waste disposal (world bank report, Report
No. 31993- EG).
Until 1998, the smells of burning wastes were not apparent in the metropolitan
city of Cairo. The appearance of dense persistent black cloud in the autumn
of 1998 over Cairo has in fact made of solid waste management a national
issue that demanded immediate Government intervention. Currently the
system of waste disposal is still inadequate the collection and disposal of
medical waste is either financed through the Ministry of Health or included in
privatization contracts. Collection and disposal of hazardous waste is not
being undertaken. There is only one sanitary landfill for the disposal of
hazardous waste locates in Alexandria, but it is not yet operational.
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Types of wastes
There are two main types of wastes which include “Solid” and “Liquid” wastes ,
but according to their effect; wastes may be:
 Of no danger of environmental pollution, such as paper,
 Not toxic or hazardous in unmodified form, but has the potential to
become so if not treated properly on disposal, such as cable,
 Or inherently toxic or hazardous and requires the most careful handling
at all stages of the disposal process, such as diesel oil.
Some wastes are more harmful as they may contain heavy metals
The solid waste accumulation is easier and faster than liquid waste due to the
long period necessary for the solids to be decayed; and this solid waste
disposal rate is mostly high, so the decaying rate of such wastes is not being
observed; and this accumulation causes a problem in the disposal areas for
the ecosystem generally and for the plants where theses wastes are
disposed.
The disposal of plastics and its effects on human health has become a
matter of concern. Colored plastics are harmful as their pigment contains
heavy metals that are highly toxic. Some of the harmful metals found in
plastics are copper, lead, chromium, cobalt, selenium, and cadmium.
Heavy metals refer to metal elements that have higher molecular weights,
such as Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Chromium and others. There have always
been metals on earth, and many of them fulfill essential functions in all living
beings. Nevertheless, a considerable number of metals are harmful to plants,
animals and man in excessive quantities. This is particularly true of certain
heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead. Several of these metals
can be stored in living tissue and remain there for a very long time. A part
from waste, waste incinerators and other sources of heavy metals in the
environment are coal-burning plants, smelters, and other industrial facilities,
mining operations and lead in household plumbing and in some countries lead
in old paint and lead in petrol.
Heavy metals most often linked to human poisoning are mercury, lead,
arsenic and cadmium. Other heavy metals, including copper, zinc, and
chromium, are required by the body in small amounts, but can be toxic in
larger doses. Such poisoning may result in reduced growth and development
particularly in children, cancer, organ damage, nervous system damage and
in extreme cases death.
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Waste disposal and recycling impact on ecosystems
A lot of human activities may cause a serious disturbance to many
ecosystems. For an example, Wadi Digla, a located area in the Eastern
Desert near to Cairo, is exposed to serious problems resulting from two
different human disturbing activities which are waste disposal and waste
recycling in the wadi, the wadi has been announced as a protected area since
1999 and although the low forbids such human disturbing activities; the wadi
has been, and still, supposed to such activities which are done within the
protectorate buffer area. Many tons of waste has been accumulated in the
northern part of the wadi besides a recycling factory working there in addition
to a garage belongs to the Cairo Public Transportation Agency. The recycling
factory works before the declaration of the wadi as a protected area.
Wadi Digla Protected Area
Wadi Digla has been declared as a protected area in 1999 with area of 60
km2; it is a desert land and located at 10 km far from Cairo.
Description
Wadi Digla protected area is a fairly large wadi, which
runs some 30 km east to west, cutting through the
Eocene lime stone hills of the northern Eastern Desert.
The wadi in its lower part cuts a deep winding gully
through the lime stone country. In the middle section
erosion by floodwaters has sculpted the rock into
outstanding formations. There is a fair amount of
vegetation in the wadi bed and annual species.
Numerous caves can be found in hillsides along the
wadi, which are inhabited by several species of bats.
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Biodiversity
Despite the proximity to Cairo, Wadi Digla is the home to a variety of wildlife
including such large species as the handsome Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana)
and the Dorcas Gazelle (Gazella dorcas). The Cairo Spiny Mouse (Acomys
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cahirinus) is common, as are the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the Cape Hare
(Lepus capensis). The caves are an important hiding place for bats like the
Lesser Mouse-tailed Bat (Rhinopoma hardwickii).
The birds are well represented, not least
by the Brown-necked Raven (Corvus
ruficollis), the Mourning Wheater
(Saxicala lugns) and the majestic
Pharaoh’s Owl (Bubo oscalophus
savigny). At least 12 species of birds
typical of the Eastern Desert have been
found.
At least 20 species of reptiles are known
from Wadi Degla.; among them are the
Horned Viper (Cerastes Cerastes) is
seldom seen due to its remarkable
ability to hide itself in the sand. The Fan-toed Gecko (Ptyodctylus guttatus
Heyden) is much more visible as it climbs on rocks.
In spring, after the winter rains, the wadi
is carpeted with patches of annuals
while a number of hardy perennials
bloom throughout the year. Over 75 wild
flowering plants have been recorded
from Wadi Digla, of which the most
notable is the caper (Capparis spinosa),
which largely occupies the rocky slopes
and cliffs of the wadi. Lycium, Atriplex
and a single patch of the woody climber,
Cocculus grow on the sides of the wadi
while Zilla, Ochradenus, Zygophyllum and Deverra occupy the wadi bed.
Among the medicinal plants are Achillea and Pulicaria.
Geologically the area is also of interest as many fossils can be found in the rock
formations over looking the wadi.
There are also scattered patches of petrified (converted into a stony replica)
wood (an extension of the Maadi Petrified forest). Because of its extreme
proximity to Cairo (only minutes from Maadi) and still remarkably intact state,
Wadi Degla represents a unique opportunity for introducing Cairo residents to
nature and Egyptian wilderness.
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Wadi Digla and the problem of waste disposal
History of the problem
In 2001 a decision by the Cairo
governorate to give permission to
the garbage collectors community
in the neighboring working class
district of Manshiyet Nasser to set
up a large garbage dump in the
area, and there has been two
kilometers which were sliced off
the east end of the wadi in the
area known as Wadi El-Murr to
operate this dump, constituting a
major threat to the natural
resources of the area.
The dumping of garbage in the protected area opened the door to attendent
polluting activities related to garbage collection, like the raising of pigs
(pigsties have already been set up in the area). The most harmful wastes in
this area in Wadi Digla protected area are the plastic wastes; the plastic bags
are carried by air to pollute wide area.
This was not the first time Wadi Digla has had to fend off the garbage
collectors. In the late 1980s, a decision was taken to relocate the Torah
garbage collectors community (el zabbalin: generally; they are the garbage
collectors and the name here is concerned with Torah old garbage collectors)
to what was then identified as the "Wadi Digla desert area”. The community
was again relocated, to another location which lies inside the "buffer zone" of
the protectorate.
Torah and Manshiyet Nasser were chosen to host these activities some 30
years ago, when the areas were deep in the desert and far from any
residential areas. But over time, new populations encroached on both areas
and because they have become heavily populated, the garbage facilities have
been moved again.
Association for the Protection of the Environment has worked to upgrade the
Torah garbage collectors community (el zabbalin), the Association helped
them to move their activities to Wadi Digla, and provide efficient and more
environmentally friendly ways of storing, sorting and recycling garbage.
To encourage the Association efforts; the governorate allocated them four
feddans of land as a dumping site. The problem became that this activity was
being done on a land which became later a part of a protected area. The 1983
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law that governs natural protectorates (Law No. 102) forbids any activities,
works or experiments from being carried out inside the buffer zone of a
natural protectorate unless permission is granted by the appropriate
administrative body. So the Torah garbage collectors (el zabbalin) activities
have been moved again and finally out of the wadi in March 2005.
Problem and the current situation in the wadi
Nature lovers have long known Wadi
Digla as a place for trekking, camping
and day trips. But nowadays the lovely
wadi is threatened seriously by the
illegal activities that carried out in the
protectorate buffer area, in the northern
part of the wadi, as there is a recycling
factory definitely causing biodiversity
disturbance in the wadi.
Such activity interferes with the
ecosystem
natural
conditions
resembling an example for the human
disturbing activities as for the garbage to
be recycled; it must be collected in the
place and, due to all the mess, the
garbage are every where around such
factory and also, beside all the
accumulated old garbage, this activity
help dispersing more garbage in wide
area in the northern wadi part especially
the plastic bags which becomes every where there, this not only causes a
very harmful visual pollution in the protectorate but also causes the
accumulation of many additional tons of that garbage which covers and
almost toxify both soil and plants (e.g. Capparis spinosa), the most notable
wastes are the plastic bags which not only toxifies soil and plants with what
within them but also it is a fact now that all these colored bags contain heavy
metals in their tissues, such heavy metals precipitate in soil by the decay of
the plastic bags and further cause fetal harms on plants growing in that soil.
The problem does not finished in the plant level but it extends longer as these
heavy metals are accumulated in the living tissues of the plants and in the
tissues of the animals being grazed on such plants or in worst cases in a
living tissue of human eat on any of such plants or the animals grazed on
them, so, as we can see, it is a long term serious and fatal problem
threatening our biodiversity and our health.
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Caper (Capparis spinosa L.)
(Capparidaceae)
Common names:
English: caper, caperberry,
caperbush
Arabic: ‫ شوك الحمار‬،‫ لصف‬،‫كبار‬
Origin
There is a strong association
between the caper bush and
oceans and seas. Capparis
spinosa is said to be native
to the Mediterranean basin,
but its range stretches from
the Atlantic coasts of the
Canary Islands and Morocco
to the Black Sea to the
Crimea and Armenia, and
eastward to the Caspian Sea
and into Iran. Capers
probably originated from dry regions in west or central Asia. Known and used
for millennia, capers were mentioned by Dioscorides as being a marketable
product of the ancient Greeks. Capers are also mentioned by the Roman
scholar, Pliny the Elder. One reason for this speculation is the word "caper"
itself which comes from the Greek kápparis, whose origin is probably the near
or Middle East
Ecology and Habit
Where native, plants grow spontaneously in cracks and crevices of rocks and
stone walls. Plants grow well in nutrient poor sharply-drained gravelly soils.
Mature plants develop large extensive root systems that penetrate deeply into
the earth. Caper plants are salt-tolerant small shrubs with arching red stems
and dark green, semi-succulent round leaves, and may reach about one
meter upright. Leaf stipules may be formed into spines. Flowers are born on
first-year branches.
Caper seeds are miniscule and are slow to nurture into transplantable
seedlings. Fresh caper seeds germinate readily - but only in low percentages.
Dried seeds become dormant and are notably difficult to germinate.
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Importance
Environmental importance
It has boundary, barrier, support and ornamental uses; the caper's vegetative
canopy covers soil surfaces so it helps to conserve soil water reserves. The
plant extensive root system that deeply penetrates the soil helping both in
protecting soil surface from erosion and desertification and aerating the soil.
Culinary Uses
Capers make an important contribution to the pantheon of classic
Mediterranean flavors that include: olives, rucola (argula, or garden rocket),
anchovies and artichokes.
Tender young shoots including immature small leaves may also be eaten as a
vegetable, or pickled. More rarely, mature and semi-mature fruits are eaten as
a cooked vegetable. Additionally, ash from burned caper roots has been used
as a source of salt.
Capers have a sharp piquant flavor and add pungency, a peculiar aroma,
saltiness and spicy flavor to comestibles such as pasta sauces, pizza, fish,
meats and salads.
The flavor of caper may be described as being similar to that of mustard and
black pepper. In fact, the caper strong flavor comes from mustard oil: methyl
isothiocyanate (released from glucocapparin molecules) arising from crushed
plant tissues.
To make capers, harvest flower blossoms in the morning immediately before
flowering, wash in salted water repeatedly until any sand or grit is removed,
then dry and salt down or pickle in vinegar. The smaller buds, called
nonpareilles or surfines are less than one centimeter (~3/8 inch) in diameter
and are considered a higher quality than the larger buds, called capucines or
communes.
Medicinal Uses
In Egypt caper is used by Bedouin for treatment against rheumatoid. The first
recorded use of the caper bush was for medicinal purposes in 2000 BC by the
Sumerians. The ancient Greeks and Romans also used the plant for these
purposes. It has been suggested that Capers have been used or are still
being used in reducing flatulence and to be anti-rheumatic in effect. In
ayurvedeic medicine capers (Capers=Himsra) are recorded as hepatic
stimulants and protectors, improving liver function. Capers have reported
uses for arteriosclerosis, as diuretics, kidney disinfectants, vermifuges and
tonics. Infusions and decoctions from caper root bark have been traditionally
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used for dropsy, anemia, arthritis and gout. Capers contain considerable
amounts of the anti-oxidant bioflavinoid rutin.
Caper extracts and pulps have been used in cosmetics, but there has been
reported contact dermatitis and sensitivity from their use.
Caper and the problem of waste disposal
Caper plants are well distributed in almost all the wadi. Such distribution has
been found to be less in the northern part and it has been found also that
there is a notable growth retardation of caper plants in that region. It is found
that the plastic wastes are the main reason for such changes in distribution
and growth and caper in that area of the wadi. It has found that the plastic
bags have the direct effects which result in such changes. The plastic bags
are found to cause the retardation in both distribution and growth by two main
effects:
 First; the physical effect of the bags; as the plant have spines which
catch the bags carried by air, and the scene of the caper surrounded by
large number of plastic bags has become usual, such physical effect
causes harms to the caper as photosynthetic and metabolic activity are
both badly affected. Growth, fertilization, flowering, fruiting and even
producing viable seeds became threatened. The main two factors
affecting such processes are; preventing leaves from sun light and
increasing the plant temperature and raising transpiration rate.
 Second; the plastic bags may contain toxic elements and the material
of the bags itself, especially the colored bags, may contain heavy
metals. As the plastic decay; the toxic elements and heavy metal
precipitate into soil where the caper absorbs its needs resulting in a
stress on the plant. Absorption of elements and salts necessary for the
plant is altered by the present of the heavy metals in the soil; heavy
metals accumulate within the plant tissues and stay there for long time.
As caper is a salt tolerant plant; it has a mechanism for controlling
osmosis and storing any harmful substances in its tissue; so there may
be no clear harmful effect on the plant, but on the long term there will
be a very harmful effect on animals and people who eat or use that
plant in treatment of rheumatoid by Bedouin as mentioned earlier; such
effect is caused by the heavy metals accumulated in the plant tissues.
Among that effects are toxicity, cancer and sometimes death.
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Heavy metals cause toxicity,
cancer and death to man
Disposing plastic wastes
in the wadi
The plant is eaten by animal or
man and used by Bedouin for
treatment of rheumatoid
Accumulation of plastic bags
over and around caper
Absorption of heavy
metals from soil by the
plant root system
Decay of plastic and
precipitation of heavy
metals in soil
Cycle of plastic wastes showing the effect of heavy metals
Effect of waste disposal on tourism
There is no doubt that the first and immediate bad effect of wastes in Wadi
Digla is the visual pollution which results in lowering the number of the visitors
to the wadi preventing the protectorate from a financial resource.
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Absorptio
n of
heavy
metals by
caper
Conclusion and suggested solutions
It is so clear that the wastes and illegal activities in the protectorate affect both
diversity and tourism. On the long term; if the governorate did not take such
problem into consideration; the harmful effects may include the human health.
Cairo Governorate should take positive steps to achieve two main goals:
 The first goal is to eliminate all the accumulated wastes from the
protectorate.
 The second goal is to move the recycling activity based on the
protectorate to another area.
The EEAA can help to eliminate wastes, the protectorate administration can
organize scientific expeditions to the protectorate for students which their
program include volunteer task of collecting wastes in a definite place where
the Governorate can deal with a private company to transfer them to another
place. Some of these expeditions have been already organized and an
amount of the wastes were removed.
The Governorate should move the recycling activity out of the protectorate
and help these workers to find another suitable place for their activity
enforcing the Environment Protection Law No. 4/1994 which forbids such
activities in protectorates.
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