Lebanon protesters shift focus from garbage crisis to cleaning up government
The demonstrations held Aug. 22 by independent Lebanese activists against the government's mishandling of waste collection management are likely to continue, as people now shift their focus to corruption in the political class.
Beirut is holding its breath as it awaits a large demonstration scheduled for Aug. 29. The protest was called by a large number of independent activists and civil society organizations against the Lebanese government's policies, especially following its failure to resolve the country's worsening waste crisis.
The crisis started on July 17, when the Lebanese government decided to close one of the largest landfills, which was run by the private company Sukleen, which was also in charge of collecting garbage in the area. The company has depended on the landfill, which is located in the coastal town of Naameh about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Beirut, to get rid of its waste.
Under pressure from the Naameh town residents and the surrounding villages, Lebanese Minister of the Environment Mohammad Machnouk made the decision Jan. 4 to close the landfill, scheduling its last day for July 17. The residents have been demanding the closure of the landfill since its creation over 15 years ago, arguing that environmental effects on the region and its residents have become unbearable, and threatening to take action to prevent waste trucks from dumping garbage there.
Following its decision to close the Naameh landfill, the Lebanese government launched an official tender for waste management across Lebanon and divided the country into six regions that will each be assigned a waste collection company.
