Can new mobile app help solve Egypt's environmental problems?
A new mobile application aimed at collecting and recycling e-waste may face obstacles in Egypt because of a lack of awareness about the importance of recycling and protecting the environment.
CAIRO — Dr. WEEE is a company that recycles electronic waste using a mobile app for e-waste collection. On March 1, Egyptian entrepreneur Essam Hashem launched the app, which could substantially raise awareness of electronic waste in Egypt. He called his character “Dr. WEEE,” as "WEEE" is the internationally recognized acronym for Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment, which includes cellphones, computers, chargers and batteries.
In 2006, Hashem founded Spear Ink to recycle empty ink cartridges and refurbish and re-manufacture new cartridges.
Hashem told Al-Monitor, “Dr. WEEE is a fictive character who solves e-waste problems. It provides a solution to waste known [in Egypt] as Robabekia. The Robabekia sellers collect old, used and unwanted items from households and factories to extract precious raw materials.”
He said, “Disposal of scrap metals pollutes the environment, as some of the waste components are incinerated. Heavy metals such as copper and platinum are being wasted since scrap traders or Robabekia sellers are unaware of their real value."
