Objective:
To reduce green house gas (GHG) emissions in 50 brick factories through the conversion of the present system, which employs heavy oil (mazot) to one that uses natural gas. Expected reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is about 37%-100,000 tonnes/year for the 50 factories. In addition to the technology transfer, the project will focus on the development of local capacity to understand and sustain the improvements and make replication possible and desirable on larger scale. This demonstration project will also carry out programming to improve the social and economic conditions of those most impacted by exposure to atmospheric emissions, namely brick factory workers and the population of villages situated in close proximity to them.

Brief Description of Project Activities:
On the technical side, 50 brick factories have participated in the EIF-CCI and the ministry of petroleum through the gas distribution company (ETG),is supplying the external gas supply system. A fair bidding process was conducted to select a local contracting gas company to implement the internal piping network in 50 kilns, and an international supplier of appropriate gas burner systems. Four gas burner systems have been tested at Arab Abu Saed in order to select the most appropriate system, and has converted the 50 brick factories to burn natural gas.

On the environmental side, the impact of emissions from burning mazot on soil water, plants and animals around the factories and the surrounding communities have been evaluated in order to assess how the change to natural gas might improve the situation. Detailed stack tests were conducted to assess the pollution coming from burning mazot, where it goes and how it affects the environment in order to document the pre and post development status. A significant reduction impacts on the natural environment as a result of converting to natural gas has been documented.

On the health impact side, the impact of pollution due to burning mazot on people working at the factories and those living in the surrounding area has been analyzed. Analysis included evaluating the differences of those impacts on men, women and children. A significant reduction in risk to human health for the workers and residents of the surrounding communities as a result of converting to natural gas, has been documented.

On the socio-economic side, a socio-economic study has been conducted to analyze the social and economic impact of switching to natural gas on the population in the surrounding areas as well as on the workers working at the brick factories. Specific interventions to improve the quality of the workforce have been identified, and are being considered for implementation by various donors.

On the economic return side, the brick factories will reduce their operating costs by switching from mazot to natural gas. At current rates, the cost of mazot to produce 1,000 bricks is about L.E 26.5, and since the average factory produces about 2million bricks per month, this result in monthly operating fuel cost of L.E. 53,020. the current testing of gas systems indicates that switching to natural gas will result in a 22%(L.E.11.764) reduction in the monthly operating cost. The pay-back period for the brick Factory's investment as part of this CCI project will be about 11-months.
The project financing structure includes a contribution from the ministry of petroleum –through the Egyptian town Gas company of about L.E. 15 million to provide the external gas supply infra-structure. The cost of the internal infra-structure, electrical upgrade and gas burner system for the 50 factories is about L.E.12 million, and is being shared on 50:50 basis by the EEIF-CCI project and the brick factory owners. The environmental protection fund of the EEAA is providing a 6% interest-rate subsidy for the loans taken by some brick factory owners to pay their share, and faisal lslamic bank is providing the loans.

Expected outcomes:
. Reduction in the concentration of gaseous pollutants such as GHG leading to less harmful impacts on the environment.
. Improvement in the ability of brick factories to operate in compliance with environmental emissions regulations.
. Increase in revenue for the gas distribution companies and decrease in operating cost for the brick factories.
. Improvement of the health conditions of the brick factory workers and members of surrounding communities.
. Improvement in the economic conditions and social well being of people.
. A valuable model for replication through-out the brick-making sector in Egypt.

Second: Economic Output:
Sick residents are unable to work in spite of the amounts spent by the government on them and therefore become burdens on other residents.
Third: Social Output:
Decreasing the fights between residents due to throwing used water in the streets.
Fourth: Environmental Output:
Preserve canals water from pollution due to washing clothes and dishes.

Environmental Problem:
. Insufficient toilet units in a large number of houses.
. Residents and mostly women excrete in open areas and as a result they are subjected to embarrassment.
. Men and children also excrete in open area which causes foul odor.
. Residents throw sewage and used water in canals and drain which pollutes the water used for irrigation.
. Residents dispose used water in the streets which leads to fights between neighbors.
. The current sewage system is not suitable as it is just a whole in the ground or open tanks which pollutes underground water.
. Residents who do not have a drinking water source depend on manual water pumps which are already polluted as there is no safe sewage system.

The EPF announced, within its executive plan for supporting the governorates for 2002/2003, for implementing a project for installing a sewage network in Seflak village. The EPF agreed to give the fund after studying the project. All the participating parties agreed to achieve the following goals:
1. Install a sewage network for 250 house
2. Safe disposal of sewage water.
3. Purchase a sweeping vehicle

The project cost was determined by 355 thousand pounds. The EPF contributes by 238 thousands L.E, residents contribute with 30 thousand L.E and the governorate contributes with 80 thousand L.E.

In order to implement the project on a scientific basis a topographic survey was conducted for the village to identify the required depth needed for digging as the ground is not flat and has lots of low and high places.

The governorate purchased a sweeping car which represents its contribution. The car was purchased by 80 thousand L.E.

Sewage water is swept off the sewage collection room and transported to the dump places allocated for that purpose.

Outputs:
1. Installation of a sewage network for 336 houses in Safalek village which will serve around 1680 individual.
2. Safe disposal of sewage water.
3. 3 roads were covered (1365 meters)
4. Streets will be clean and polluted water will not be collected in the streets.
5. Insects and mosquitoes used to gather on the polluted water in the streets.

The project achieved more results than those planned for through installing the sewage network for 56 houses.

The residents contribution made them feel as if they own the network installed and therefore they will maintain it.

Anglican Social Services, a non-governmental organization, proposed establishing an agricultural waste management system for the village of Gazayer in Minya. The village generates 15-20 tons of agricultural wastes daily, particularly waste from banana crops.

Once the NGO and the City Council have conducted the required Environmental Impact Assessment, the system will be introduced with regular collection of residential, agricultural, and animal wastes, which will be transported to a designated site. The solid waste will be separated into two streams: organic wastes, which will be composted in a specific area in the village, and inorganic wastes, which will be recycled.

The slaughterhouse is situated in the heart of Sherbeen City, in what has become densely populated residential neighborhood as a result of migration to the city. The proximity of slaughterhouse activities to homes is the source of a number of problems, including that the slaughterhouse is near to the main source for the local potable water treatment station, wastewater from the slaughterhouse contaminate the canals, the existing incinerator is not working, and the area lacks proper sanitary drainage.

The project targets are to establish a new slaughterhouse with increased capacity at a new site 3 kilometers outside the city. A sanitary inspection unit would be established, water contamination minimized, and a modern incinerator procured.

The Environment Conservation Society will establish proper medical waste management for the 200 medical centers in Fayoum City. The system will start with proper collection and proceed through sorting, transport, treatment, and final disposal of medical wastes in a safe and secured location.

The preferred treatment technology is incineration complying with the general guidelines for incineration emissions and residues. The ashes produced by the incineration cycles will be collected in plastic barrels and move to a safe disposal site.

The project aims to establish an Integrated Medical Waste Management System for the safe disposal of the Institutes medical wastes to minimize health risks and control spread of diseases and viruses. The Liver Institute will use a high temperature/high pressure autoclave with heavy-duty crusher mounted alongside. The waste is loaded into the crusher where it is reduced to about 10 percent of its original volume, and then transported to a chamber where it is steam heated to 138? Centigrade at a pressure of 3.8 bars. The fully automatic process has a cycle time of less than an hour and produces sterile fragments.