Translated from Arabic by Zeina Nasser
The security forces in Lebanon closed a waste landfill, located in the vicinity of Shaqra – Dibieh, based on the request of the environmental prosecutor in Nabatiyeh Judge Nadim al- Nashef.
The decision of closing the landfill came after many residents of bordering villages, surrounding Braashit, Aytaroun, and Chaqra, pointed out to large quantities of hazardous medical wastes being thrown at different phases. The wastes included vaccines bags, medicine bottles, human bones, etc… knowing that Shaqra, which is also called “Shamoun’s Mountain” is a remote and rocky region, next to the western side of al-hujair Valley Reserve.
This information was confirmed through the concerned security authorities’ reports, which mentioned that one of the citizens, called (W.N), which is now wanted, has been transferring these wastes and throwing them randomly in the landfill over the past two years, without anyone questioning him.
It is known that the one responsible for throwing these wastes has been forbidden before from throwing household wastes. In this regard, Chaqra- Dibiyeh municipality distributed a statement, which stated that the offender took advantage of undetectable roads, near Khallet Shhaheer near Braashit, Aytaroun, Saluki Valley, and that the municipality began the treatment process to put an end to these actions which threaten the environment in this region.
Wastes seemed stacked in the landfill, and the height of some of them reached about 10 meters, with a width of 6 to 7 meters. Some of the wastes were burned, while others were landfilled, noting that some were recently thrown, and others were thrown at previous times.
According to the former Head of Chaqra-Dibiyeh Municipality Rida Ashour, the “person responsible for throwing these wastes has been prevented previously from throwing household wastes, and he had vowed in the Police Station that he will not do so again,” adding that “he has violated the vow, and has thrown the garbage in the same place again.”
In this regard, it was revealed that the involved security forces, are expanding their investigation, to get to the list of hospitals responsible for the smuggling of hazardous wastes, to be held responsible for this environmental disaster.
Residents of villages surrounding the landfill called on the Ministry of Health to move quickly to follow up on this issue, which threatens the safety of citizens.
Two years ago, the Environment Minister Mohammad al-Mashnouq, has sent warnings to 19 private hospitals, and 9 public hospitals to comply with the environmental regulations and health measures within a month, regarding the management of medical wastes, otherwise they will be closed and judicial measures will be made.
Unfortunately, the warnings did not lead to any measures against the hospitals, and not one hospital was closed for throwing medical wastes.
Previously, in April 2011, the Ministry of Environment has sued 85 private and public hospitals in Beirut and other Lebanese areas for violating the decree determining the types of the wastes of medical institutions, and the way they should be discharged, and the law of the conservation of the environment against pollution from harmful wastes and hazardous substances, and the environmental protection law.
These cases are still at the courts, and after many hospitals have made the right measures regarding this issue, tens of public and private hospitals are still violating the basic measures, and therefore, the security authorities could easily find the names of the hospitals that have accepted throwing medical wastes in the Chaqra landfill in Bint Jbeil, especially that there aren’t so many wastes in the governorate.
After being sure of the involved hospitals, the Ministry of Health must initiate in cancelling the contracts with private hospitals, and after that, administrative and judicial measures must be made with administrative boards or committees in public hospitals.
