Currently, one of the major challenges that Cairo is facing is the solid waste management deficit. Egypt's capital is struggling with illegal dumping sites, street dumping and fly-tipping which is the illegal dumping of liquid or solid waste on land or in water. The waste is usually dumped to avoid disposal costs which result in environmental problems and public health concerns. In 2018, 44.8% of the households dispose of their waste by dumping it onto Cairo's streets. 

The Egyptian government implemented legislation to strengthen solid waste management. Firstly, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the informal sector working in e-waste management will be converted into an official sector. Secondly, the E-Tadweer application shall be launched to enable citizens to get rid of their e-waste and gain incentives in the form of discount vouchers that can be used in purchasing electrical appliances.

Any long-term recycling initiative must consider the many poor families that depend on garbage as a source of income and has to make sure that no one is left behind by restructuring current systems. Another step towards a functioning waste management strategy is closing unsafe landfills in Cairo and Giza. Furthermore, E-Tadweer would boost the city's official waste-management industry, generating new jobs and lifting garbage sorters out of poverty. If E-Tadweer is a success, Cairo's Ministry of Environment will look for similar solutions to the city's agriculture, solid waste, and medical waste issues.