The government battle with rubbish has started to gain momentum. Regrettably the accumulation of garbage in the streets has for several years been a characterising feature of not only provincial cities but also of the capital. Despite attempts to hire foreign companies to do the job and the engagement of an army of cleaners, filth has remained a nagging problem that needs solving. Being aware of the day-to-day problems that make the lives of all Egyptians difficult, President Morsi has put clean streets on the list of priorities in his first l00 days in office. The Cabinet has finally put its heart into an action plan, perhaps in fulfilment of Morsi's vision, which would hopefully restore the clean face of the capital. From equipment to funding and organised planning the Cabinet said it responded to the governorates' requirements. Directives have been issued to the directors of local councils directly responsible. The Cabinet also decided to draft a law to toughen the penalties for anyone, who dumps rubbish in the street; the vehicles of culprits will also be confiscated. Apart from imposing the new law, two other factors remain that would lead to positive results. For one thing many people, who keep on complaining about rubbish, are themselves part of the problem, because we have to admit that they usually don't feel guilty when they litter the streets. Self-motivation would, therefore, be a virtue. The second point is recycling, which so far has been unable to deal with substantial amounts of rubbish. In other countries, the environment friendly disposal of waste is a gold mine in economic terms. It is time to encourage the establishment of more recycling facilities instead of dumping rubbish in traditional ways.
