According to an interview with Egypt Today, deputy governor of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), Gamal Negm, announced that the country will be issuing plastic currency as of the end of 2020. Negm also said that they’ll start with EGP 10 notes, that’ll be printed in the New Administrative Capital’s printing facilities.

The CBE first revealed the news a year ago, a few days after the Bank of England announced that it would be issuing a new £50 note.

As many people are now leaning towards cutting plastic waste and becoming more environmentally conscious, some may worry about the environmental impact of introducing new plastic currency. Fortunately, plastic currencies, which are made out of polymer, are, in fact, cleaner and much more durable, according to the Bank of England.

Even though polymer takes longer to biodegrade, it lasts 2.5 times longer than paper banknotes. Also, according to a study carried out by the Bank of Canada, polymer notes are recycled, unlike paper notes, which are usually torn and dumped in landfills.