Environmental Meeting at Project Watan’s Headquarters Brings Together Minister El Zein and MPs Frem and Yazbek

El Zein Announces Launch of National Solid Waste Management Authority Appointment Process

At the invitation of MP Neemat Frem, a meeting was held at Project Watan’s headquarters to address Lebanon’s long-standing waste crisis and explore the use of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) as a key entry point toward a comprehensive solution.

The meeting also included an extensive discussion on the necessary steps to launch this process. It was attended by Minister of Environment Dr. Tamara El Zein; head of the Parliamentary Environment Committee, MP Ghayath Yazbek; sustainable energy expert Eng. Rabih Osta; RDF expert Eng. Ghassan Broummana; Ministry of Environment consultant Dr. Elise Noujeim; journalists Bassam Abou Zeid, Laure Sleiman, Marlene Wehbeh, Saad Elias, Nada Saliba, Tony Boulos, Assaad Bechara, and Omar Rassi; and Members of Project Watan’s Executive Board.

Frem: Determined to Reach a Radical Solution

Opening the discussions, MP Frem stressed: “While every proposed solution is met with objections and criticisms, we must take one step at a time. Adjustments can be made later if needed, but it is unacceptable that the waste file remains unresolved. Leaving things as they are will only worsen the crisis and keep the situation catastrophic, especially regarding solid waste, which cannot be resolved without a clear plan.”

He added: “It is a shame that the state is still unable to remove waste from the streets, or that it resorts to dumping it in the sea – one of the worst possible solutions.”

Frem reaffirmed his determination to push toward a radical solution, recalling that he had “submitted a draft law to adopt RDF for 30% of waste, converting it into energy – a step that would address a large part of the crisis and set Lebanon on the path to a sustainable solution.”

He also shared his experience with the Ghosta Plant, which he established during the 2007-2008 waste crisis. “The plant proved the success of converting waste into energy but faced funding obstacles that municipalities could not overcome due to accumulated debts from non-transparent contracts with private companies, as well as the state’s overall mismanagement of the file.”

El Zein: The Problem Lies in Management, Governance, and Funding

Minister Tamara El Zein emphasized that the waste crisis is “a problem of management, governance, and funding.”

She announced the “launch of the process to appoint the National Solid Waste Management Authority, which will soon be placed on the Cabinet’s agenda to form its board of directors.”

On funding, she explained: “Currently, everything is paid through the state treasury, while the cost recovery law (Article 28) has not yet been passed, even though the proposed fees are symbolic.”

She added: “I submitted a revised draft that takes into account municipalities’ concerns and grants them greater flexibility in covering waste management costs within their jurisdictions.”

She also noted that “many sorting plants were poorly managed, resulting in untreated waste being dumped directly in landfills.”

Finally, Minister El Zein stressed “the need to update the technologies used,” adding that “having a dedicated line to produce RDF is not a burden but rather an entry point to a sustainable solution – especially for cement plants that still rely on coal.”

Yazbek: The Waste Crisis Is a Page of Chaos That Must Be Turned

In turn, MP Yazbek stated: “The main problem in Lebanon is not the laws themselves but their implementation. The state’s mismanagement of public facilities has deepened the trust gap with citizens.”

He noted that nearly 1300 sites of burning waste continue to plague Lebanon, while any proposed solution faces popular opposition that blocks model projects.

“Implementing the ‘polluter pays’ principle and amending Article 28 are essential steps to close this chapter and put the state on the right track,” he concluded.

Toward Practical solutions

After several presentations on the production and use of RDF, its process, and its positive impact on a comprehensive waste solution, participants affirmed that the proposed legislations – particularly the RDF law and the cost recovery law – provide a solid basis to launch the solution process. They also stressed the need to involve the private sector and municipal unions in both funding and implementation, in order to place the waste crisis on the path of practical resolution.

The meeting concluded with all participants agreeing to continue consultations with stakeholders and experts to move forward with resolving the crisis by converting solid waste into RDF.