The Cairo Criminal Court approved yesterday a 15-year prison sentence for Ibrahim Ramadan Abdel Salam, a Cairo University Hospital janitor who is accused of trading in medical waste.
The Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs seized the waste, which totaled 30 tons, last year. Manufacturers planned to turn the waste into toys and other plastic objects, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, the Alexandria Criminal Court sentenced two brothers to five years in prison and a fine of LE50,000 on similar charges. Abdel Aziz Mohamed Abdel Aziz, and his brother Hazem, both from el-Montazah district, were convicted for unlicensed trading in medical waste.
According to the ministry, the brothers collected garbage from hospitals and pharmaceutical companies with the aim of recycling it and making plastic products.
Environment Minister Maged George stated that the ministry’s branch in Alexandria discovered the incident and subsequently launched a campaign in hospitals, private clinics, and labs, to eliminate the accessibility of medical waste, which could spread disease.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
