Figure 22 Map showing the solid waste collection points in al-Khalifa Street Area

3.5 Waste Management

On the institutional level, due to the multiple tasks of Cairo Cleanness and Beatification Agency and that some of these tasks intersect with other governmental bodies, there are inconsistencies and a lack of clarity regarding the different roles, which affects the efficiency of the current waste management system. Furthermore, poor service is provided by the contractor concerning the collection of recyclable waste only from certain areas and leaving the rest of the solid waste in the streets, as well as collecting from only 50% of the units18 .

The contracts between the CCBA and the contractors are supposed to end in 2018/2019. It is currently being reported that a new system is to be applied in Cairo, with CCBA responsible for sweeping the streets and local contractors in charge of collecting household solid waste18F 19 in the light of the establishment of Waste Management Regulatory Authority19F 20 (WMRA) under the supervision of Ministry of Environment. Some speculations are also mentioning the return of the traditional solid waste collectors of Manshiyyat Nasr and the elimination of the collection points from the streets20F 21. It is not clear if this will be implemented in al-Khalifa Street Area or not.

On a technical level, few of the problems of the collecting phase could be pointed out. They include the lack of suitable equipment, collection tools and permeability concerning the urban fabric of al-Khalifa Street Area (narrow streets and lanes). Furthermore, the official collecting points are not enough, thus a number of unofficial collecting points have emerged throughout the urban fabric (especially close to monuments and around empty plots).

Figure 22 Map showing the solid waste collection points in alKhalifa Street Area.

18 Environics "Solid waste management report". Urban Regeneration project for Historic Cairo – UNESCO, World Heritage Centre, 2014. P.64 19 Nassar, Mohammed. “Head of CCBA: Need support to continue what the foreign companies stared concerning the solid waste collection” Masrawy, 30th September 2018. https://www.masrawy.com/news/news_egypt/details/2018/9/30/1436046/-ﻢﻋﺩ-ﺝﺎﺘﺤﻧ-ﺓﺮﻫﺎﻘﻟﺍ-ﺔﻓﺎﻈﻧ-ﺲﻴﺋﺭ ﺔﻣﺎﻤﻘﻟﺍ-ﻊﻤﺟ-ﺔﻣﻮﻈﻨﻣ-ﻲﻓ-ﺐﻧﺎﺟﻷﺍ-ﻩﺃﺪﺑ-ﺎﻣ-ﻡﺎﻤﺗﻹ 20 Waste Management Regulatory Authoritymission is to “regulate, follow and oversee all waste management processes at both central and local levels, in a manner improving the environmentally safe management”. 21 Daebs, Aya. “Head of the garbage collector syndicate: our mandate is to collect the solid waste from homes, and we have nothing to do with streets” Youm7, 4th July 2018. https://www.youm7.com/story/2018/7/4/3858636/ﺎﻨﻟ-ﺔﻗﻼﻋ-ﻻﻭ-ﻝﺯﺎﻨﻤﻟﺍ-ﻦﻣ-ﺔﻣﺎﻤﻘﻟﺍ-ﻊﻤﺟ-ﺎﻨﺘﻤﻬﻣ-ﻦﻴﻟﺎﺑﺰﻟﺍ-ﺐﻴﻘﻧ

Further steps are needed to reach a comprehensive assessment of waste management in the area to be able to intervene or propose an effective management system. Some of the knowledge gaps or unanswered questions include the following:

1. Updating information regarding informal collection system; fees paid for the service. 2. Identifying the formal waste collection track. 3. Reliable and representative study of waste composition and its distribution across the study area as preliminary studies shows that the study area is not homogenous in terms of quality and quantity of the produced waste and its management. 4. Studying different feasible recycling and upcycling options within the area. 5. Study workshops of solid waste collection and possible reuse. 6. Further study of al-Khalifa Park waste collection points management system (points capacity and covered area – design, material and how to use – rate of waste transferring – potentials of biogas and compost generation).

4. The Rehabilitation and Regeneration of the Historic Residential Fabric:

o Following the previous analysis of the urban fabric, a conservation plan was drafted taking into consideration the following :  Ensuring the “permeability” of the urban fabric for its users mainly to improve pedestrian mobility, as well as for management and maintenance purposes such as increasing accessibility for fire brigades , solid waste collection, etc.  Keeping the street alignments whenever possible and enhancing the integrity of the urban fabric.  The possibility of changing the usage of spaces, plots and buildings according to current needs that were not addressed in previous planning measures. These include the surrounding crafts and workshops’ activities.  The relation of a specific local area to its surroundings , in terms of urban features but also usage and necessities.

A proper needs assessment has to be conducted as a mechanism for fine-tuning and detailing the previous recommendations, particularly in the case of increasing permeability, upgrade and modification. This fine-tuning is essential before implementing the recommendation, and can be achieved through a series of surveys concerning services, infrastructure and activities, as well as a number of workshops with the inhabitants and different stakeholders.

This is in addition to identifying “critical areas” where change can occur. The urban conservation should not freeze the current situation, but rather should result in the design and management of changes to the urban fabric. The map below shows the following: Monuments with their buffer zone, listed building, unbuilt land plots (class 6), partially ruined buildings and makeshift structures (class 5). The concentration of class 5 and class 6 in the urban fabric are identified as “critical areas”.

The number of empty plots in al-Khalifa Street Area is 43, total ruins are 40 and makeshift structures are 26. The total number is 109 plots. The concentration of these unused plots is considered critical and is a disruption to the urban fabric. These plots have potential either for new constructions or possibly for new open spaces.

Seven spots have been identified as critical areas. In these spots, the intervention should follow the above-mentioned criteria of permeability, street alignment and improving the built environment.