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IN a conversation with Voice of Lebanon Radio, Minister Mohammad Mashnouk, the Minister responsible for Lebanon’s waste management, refused to resign as called for by thousands of protesters, saying he could find no compelling reason to do so.
Beirut and Mount Lebanon regions of the country are flooded in mounting garbage as no suitable landfills could be found to replace the Nehmeh landfill. The international media has focussed on the garbage crises affecting Lebanon as an example of gross mismanagement by the government.
Nehmeh was closed on July 17th after having previously had its operation lifespan extended by two years.
Despite the fact that the environment Minister had a long period of time to plan for an alternative to Nehmeh; and the Government has as early as two years ago proposed an alternative waste management plan, nothing was done in order to avoid the problem now plaguing Lebanon.
Whilst some garbage has been removed from the streets of Beirut, it is being stored in vacant sites and close to the airport in an unhygienic and unsustainable manner.
Since the closure of Nehmeh on July 17th, no alternative has yet been proposed, with suggestions that plans are being studied in which the garbage will be exported to Germany or an alternative country. Such a scheme would require a long period of time in order to be successfully implemented.
