Garbage Crisis

Costa Brava Landfill

Efforts to reduce landfills on coastal beaches began in 2017.

UFL filed a lawsuit against the expansion plan of the Costa Brava landfill due to the health and environmental risks resulting from many serious violations. For example, not sorting and recycling solid waste properly has led to pollution of the environment including seawater, and impeding air force traffic/navigation. The Urgent Matters Judge in Aley issued an order to stop the expansion of the landfill and to appoint environmental and chemical experts to draw up a scientific report on the landfill’s health and environmental status.

The primary focus has been assessing the solid waste sorting process at the source (sorting and re-sorting in Aamrousseih and Karantina solid waste plants), where the resulting material is delivered to the landfill, passing through the Coral composting plant in Burj Hammoud. This produces poor material that farmers refuse to receive, which leads to re-dumping it in the Costa Brava landfill, with the accompanying waste of resources in the associated embezzlement. As well as the very toxic and horrible smell produced by the facility, which has proven to be hazardous and overwhelming!

Composting Facility

On July 12, 2019, UFL and its partners filed a complaint with the State Public Prosecutor against the Council for Development and Reconstruction and JCC. This was done to curb against the increase in toxic and notorious odors at the only airport in Lebanon and its surrounding area. In addition to that, toxic gases have proven to cause severe damage to the health of citizens, with drastic consequences on Lebanon’s reputation and the tourism that underpins the economy.

Burj Hammoud-Al-Jdeideh-Assad Landfill

On August 7, 2019, UFL and its partners filed two criminal complaints against each of the defendants, the Council for Development and Reconstruction, and the companies in charge of the Burj Hammoud-Al Jdeideh landfill implementation. The accusations were made for breaking the Barcelona Agreement for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea and the Lebanese Environment Protection Law, as well as wasting and misusing public funds, abusing influence to make decisions, embezzling money, manipulating public jobs, and other offenses.

The alliance called for an end to all activities at the Burj Hammoud-Al-Jdeideh-Assad landfill that violate legitimate rights and conditions since they pose a serious threat to the public's safety and health, particularly those of individuals who live nearby.

The Course of the Ghadeer River

On March 20, 2019, UFL filed two lawsuits on the pretext of Al-Ghadeer River pollution, one of two major causes of pollution of the Beirut Sea and its environment, and one of the sources of awful smells in the vicinity of the airport. The two suits requested to take the necessary measures against the violators whose names and addresses were provided through a list of evidence-based documents. Al-Ghadeer River has turned into a canal of waste and dirt that sweeps the populated neighborhoods with all the solid waste and waste-water containing chemical waste and organic releases from the factories and slaughterhouses spread in the region.

Landfill and Waste Sorting in Tripoli

On July 12, 2019, UFL filed a lawsuit against the Council for Development and Reconstruction, the Federation of Fayhaa Municipalities, and the companies carrying out the works in Tripoli's "Temporary Marine Landfill," which pollutes the sea and the surrounding area. In addition, the suit demanded sorting and stopping all causes of bad smells, activating the sewage refining plant in the city along with its networks, and stopping pollution of the seaside.

Solid Waste Sorting Factory in Minieh

On August 26, 2019, UFL filed a criminal complaint against the Federation of Minieh Municipalities, the implementing companies, and the Ministry of State for Administrative Development (OMSAR) as the co-implementers of the waste sorting and composting plant in Dhour El Minieh. The complaint demanded that the waste sorting plant in Dhour El Minieh be operated properly with the required technical and administrative supervision in order to detect and seize any violations of the required environmental and public health standards.

Follow-Up with European and International References

UFL has been monitoring the waste problem as well as its effects on the environment and public health in light of an incident involving the embezzlement of European funds for sorting and composting plants, recycling facilities, wastewater treatment plants, and other projects. After getting in touch with a French law firm, the issue was discussed with the legal staff at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as well as the European Union Delegation to Beirut. Lawyers from France also came to Lebanon to take part in the deliberation.

Evidence-Based Files were submitted containing records and legal documents to the European Commission of Inquiry "OLAF". The European Anti-Fraud Office "OLAF" investigates the process of wasting and embezzling European funds to Lebanon in order to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.

 «"Decent Theft" in the context of a complaint submitted by the legal team of UFL against the expansion of the Costa Brava landfill.».

L'Orient-Le Jour News Paper, 11 August 2018