Tackling pollution: Lebanon unveils project to reduce organic pollutants

Lebanon's Ministry of Environment has launched a new project under the name "Reducing Unintentional Persistent Organic Pollutants through Circular Economy Waste Management" during a workshop held on Tuesday, with the participation of representatives from the Interior Ministry, municipalities' unions in the targeted regions, and international organizations.

The Cabinet had approved accepting a grant of $8.58 million for the Ministry of Environment from the Global Environment Facility through the World Bank to implement the project over the next four years. 

This project aims to reduce emissions of persistent organic pollutants resulting from uncontrolled waste burning by improving solid waste management in areas that have been suffering from open dumps and their unregulated burning in the Akkar, South, and Nabatieh Governorates in collaboration with the municipalities' unions in these regions.

This project is part of the efforts by the Ministry of Environment to implement the roadmap for solid waste management in Lebanon for the next three years. 

The roadmap was launched last July to rescue and regulate the solid waste sector. Its components are being implemented in cooperation between the Ministry of Environment, several international organizations, and municipalities. 

This project will continue along with other projects that will cover all Lebanese regions, including, for example, Beirut and Matn, the Bekaa and Baalbek, Mount Lebanon, and other areas.