Storm carries massive rubbish pile to shores of Lebanon
BEIRUT—Large amounts of rubbish have washed ashore on beaches north of the Lebanese capital as a result of a heavy storm, reigniting debate about the rubbish crisis that has for years plagued the country.
According to local media, the rubbish had been collecting near the town of Jiyyeh, but large waves - a result of the storm that hit Lebanon last weekend - carried the rotting refuse out to sea.
The tide brought it back to shore, littering Zuq Musbih beach north of Beirut with large amounts of rubbish, including everything from plastic waste to used sanitary napkins, one news report said.
A cleanup was ordered by Prime Minister Saad Hariri who demanded workers move quickly to address the problem.
Teams were told to clean the beach completely, returning it to its former state, Hariri said in a statement.
However, photos of the polluted beach on social media raised the ire of the Lebanese public and some politicians.
Sami Gemayel, an opposition member of parliament, said officials responsible for the stinky mess should be held to account.
Whoever defended and allowed the establishment of landfills along the coastline is to be held responsible for this disaster, he said.
This is the result of the incompetence of our leaders and of corruption, Gemayel was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper on Tuesday.
Environment Minister Tarek Khatib accused Gemayel of leading a misinformation campaign after he demanded that Khatib resign, the report said.
The beach incident was a stark reminder of the garbage crisis that has roiled Lebanon for years. In 2015 protests erupted after Beirut`s main landfill was closed because of overcapacity, according to the government.
After its closure, the main waste management company, Sukleen, stopped collecting rubbish, saying it had no place to dispose of it.
As a result, garbage started piling up on the streets of Beirut, eventually leading to mass protests - under the banner You Stink - over the government`s failure to find a solution.
In a bid to end the crisis, the Lebanese government announced a series of measures, including the reopening of two closed landfills and the establishment of waste-treatment facilities.
But most of those promises have not been met, and rubbish piles started to rise again leading to renewed problems with garbage collection and people burning their trash.
Related:
Lebanon: Trash Pickup Resumes amid Crisis
Beirut`s trash problem spurs search for alternatives
85 Lebanon Municipalities Accused of Trash Burning
“You Stink”: Beirutis Call for Revolution
Photo: A man takes photos of piles of garbage washed on shore after an extended storm battered the Mediterranean country at the coastal town Zuq Musbih, north of Beirut, 22 January 2018. Environmentalists say a winter storm has pushed a wave of trash onto the Lebanese shore outside Beirut, stirring outrage over a waste management crisis that has choked the country since 2015. Source: Hussein Malla/AP.
| Themes |
| • Commons • Destruction of habitat • Environment (Sustainable) • National |
