In his contribution to Sharek, Elewa said he is calling the Environment Ministry to step in and stop the practice this year. One of his messages to Sharek reads, “The villages here in Kom Hamada in Beheira will be enveloped in a cloud of black smoke because of people burning rice straw, and right there where people are living. The burning of rice straw, which takes place every autumn, is a major contributor to Egypt's air pollution problems, especially in conjunction with the open-air burning of garbage. In recent years, successive government has sought to reduce air pollution, including that caused by the burning of agricultural waste. The government has also encouraged the recycling of rice straw instead of disposal through burning, with some foreign development partners providing assistance with small-scale projects.

Source: Egypt Independent September 17, 2016 12:22 UTC