Anfeh coast under threat

Source: Almodon Website

Since the end of the Lebanese civil war, the historical and famous salterns (salt marshes) of Anfeh and its marine coast have faced many threats of destruction. As the sea pollution has become severe in Lebanon, owners of salt marshes found a decrease in the quality of the extracted salt. To exacerbate matters further, in 1992, the Government of Lebanon reduced the tax on imported salt from Egypt, making it significantly cheaper than locally produced salt. These circumstances have placed pressures on some owners who find the only solution is to abandon the salt production industry.

Expanding Lebanon’s “temporary” landfills: an inevitability of incompetence

Yesterday, the Lebanese Cabinet of Ministers asked the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) to conduct a study on the expansion of the two landfills in Costa Brava and Bourj Hamooud in 15 days. An Environmental Impact Assessment before the construction of both landfills were not prepared and both landfills face legal challenges from the Lebanese Judiciary. 

Fire at the Sidon waste management facility

Source: Times of Oman

Last Friday, a mountain of unsorted waste in the sorting facility in the southern city of Sidon caught fire. This is the second fire this facility has experienced in the last two months. While fires in solid waste facilities are not uncommon, especially in places with poor sorting and inadequate waste management practices, there may be more to these two fires.

Is another waste crisis looming?

Source: Lebanese National News Agency

The two new landfills serving Beirut and Mount Lebanon are still operational despite the various legal challenges they have faced and the risk they posed to the surrounding environment. A few weeks ago, a Lebanese judge reversed a previous ruling to close the Costa Brava landfill, which was made last January. The original ruling was based on the landfill’s proximity to the airport and the potential for short and long term damage to the marine environment. Local media reported that political actors were pressuring the judiciary to reverse the decision, such that it was decided after an emergency meeting that only lasted 5 minutes.

Saida’s disappointing waste management experience

Source: Omar Yashruti/MOE

Last month, a sea turtle was found dead floating in reddish water in the midst of plastic bags and other garbage off the coast of the southern town of Sidon. The source of the solid waste pollution is the IBC Municipal Solid Waste Treatment Center that is located in the southern outskirts of Sidon.

Eden Rock Resort: Never-ending transgressions

 

Source: Daily Star 

Last April, the Shura council reversed their decision that repealed the construction permit of the Eden Rock Resort at Beirut’s Ramlet al Baida beach. Despite the clear violations of a number of environmental and other laws, the court provided no reasons to the plaintiffs or public for their decision. 

The Bourj Hammoud debacle

Source: Executive Magazine

Last month, news emerged of waste being disposed into the sea near the Bourj Hammoud landfill. The Minister of Environment stated that the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) was responsible: “The contract between the contractor and the Council for Development and Reconstruction stipulates that trash from this landfill would be disposed of at sea.” Supposedly, the purpose of this process would be to reclaim land.

Are the new landfills already polluting Beirut’s sea?

Source: AUB

Last week, the American University of Beirut warned their faculty and staff not to swim in the AUB beach through an email stating that the “level of bacteria exceeded the acceptable limits for bathing water quality”. A week later, AUB sent out another email stating that the water is now safe for swimming because the “bacteria dropped to acceptable bathing water quality limit.”

The dire state of the quarry sector in Lebanon

Source: Al Akhbar

The quarry issue was brought back to the spotlight last month after the Internal Security Forces recommended the closure of the quarries in Kfar Matta until the Ministry of Environment proposes recommendations. The Ministry of Interior and Municipalities ordered a nationwide halt to all quarry operations for one month. This order was met with a strike by the Truck Owners Union that crippled traffic into Beirut for a day. The government then decided to reopen licensed facilities and gave illegal factories one month to adhere to all regulations.

Is Beirut ready to burn its waste?

Source: Daily Star

As we approach the second year after the closing of the Naameh Landfill, little progress has been made towards developing and implementing a comprehensive solid waste management plan for Beirut and Mount Lebanon. The plan of the previous Lebanese government, two landfills to replace the Naameh landfill, is on the brink of collapse. The Costa Brava landfill is supposed to be closed next month after a Lebanese court ordered its permanent closure in four months last January. Over the weekend, demonstrators blocked the entrance of the landfill protesting the environmental pollution caused by the landfill. The second landfill in Bourj Hammoud is currently being challenged in court. Last week, the case was adjourned for one month as experts conduct an environmental study of the landfill.