“The deadline should be met on July 17, and the residents will not tolerate any further delay,” read a statement released by the Democratic Gathering Bloc. “The Chouf region and the Aley district have borne their share of the waste burden since 1998,” the statement added, asserting that “the area will not be a dump site anymore.” In related news, the residents of Aley asserted that they would hold a massive protest if the dump was not closed on July 17. The bloc’s remarks come two days after Environment MinisterMohammad Machnouk admitted that the Naameh landfill would have to continue to receive waste, albeit just one-fifth the daily amount it receives today. This is despite prior government promises to close the site by July 17. The landfill was supposed to close its gates in 2003, but the consecutive cabinets kept extending the deadlines, leaving the landfill overfilled. Chouf residents have been complaining from health and environmental damaged caused by the excessive amount of garbage in the region. The Daily Star
