Waste Crisis: Frem Slams Landfilling, Urges Sustainable Waste Treatment

Following the announcement of a halt in operations at the Jdeideh landfill and the contractor’s immediate suspension of waste collection, particularly in Keserwan, MP Neemat Frem held a press conference at Project Watan’s headquarters in Dbayeh. He urged the authorities to find a sustainable solution to the waste crisis – one that focuses on passing a law enabling municipalities to recover the cost of waste management and implementing it as quickly as possible. He also called for approval of the draft law he submitted, which mandates that cement factories replace fossil fuel (petcoke) with refuse-derived fuel (RDF), given the environmental, economic, and health benefits of such a measure.

Frem warned that the waste crisis in Keserwan is worsening and cannot afford any delay if the Jdeideh landfill is not reopened. He stressed that the crisis erupted because the landfill could no longer absorb Keserwan’s waste, the outcome of years of “patchwork” policies in handling the issue.

He described landfilling as a shameful, primitive, and unsustainable solution, noting that dozens of better alternatives exist – though for now, it may have to be pursued temporarily.

Frem cautioned that Keserwan’s waste could soon pile up on the streets, calling for an end to makeshift, stopgap fixes in favor of long-term sustainable solutions. He appealed to the Cabinet, in its next session, to approve the temporary reopening of the Jdeideh site to receive Keserwan’s waste and avert disaster. He also urged Parliament to vote on the Environment Ministry’s draft law on cost recovery for waste management, which would allow municipalities to collect symbolic fees from citizens to secure the funding needed for effective and constructive waste treatment.

The lawmaker recalled that he had already submitted a draft law requiring cement companies to switch from solid fuel to RDF, reducing costs for the economy while providing a sustainable environmental solution. He called on all Lebanese districts to restart their waste treatment facilities, as is the case with the Ghosta plant and many others across the country, noting that Ghosta had previously shut down due to a lack of operating funds. “Restarting it now would be a turning point toward a sustainable solution,” he said.

According to Frem, such a facility could achieve 15% recycling, 50% composting, with the remainder converted into RDF. He called on all officials – especially the Federation of Municipalities of Jbeil District – to assist during the transitional phase. He also urged both the Cabinet and Parliament to approve the cost-recovery and RDF bills so that Lebanon can address the problem at its root and launch a network of waste treatment plants, including Ghosta, within six months.

“Landfilling is Lebanon’s enemy; it may appear cheaper at first glance, but in reality, it is the costliest for future generations,” he emphasized.

He also noted that the Jdeideh site, originally created as a limited pit, had been repeatedly expanded through stopgap measures until it became a mountain exceeding 14 meters in height. He praised the Environment Ministry’s efforts in drafting the waste management cost-recovery law, clarifying that the proposed fees range from $4 to $12 per month depending on household size and number of residents, and stressed the need to adopt this system quickly to avoid further depletion of the Independent Municipal Fund, which is already suffering from a severe deficit.

Frem concluded that the fastest immediate solution is to temporarily reopen the Jdeideh landfill – despite its flaws – to allow a six-month window for restarting the Ghosta plant and other treatment facilities across Lebanon. He warned that failure to act swiftly would result in a waste crisis similar to that of 2015.  

It is worth noting that the decision to temporarily reopen the Jdeideh landfill was issued immediately at the end of Frem’s press conference, which was broadcast live by the media.