Civil society activists from the ‘We Want Accountability’ campaign held a sit-in near the Central Inspection Bureau in Beirut demanding further details from the government on a deal that was signed with two firms to export Lebanon’s trash.

Some of the activists tried to storm into the building shouting ‘peaceful, peaceful’ but the security forces did not allow them to do so.

One of the activists said: “The citizens have the right to enter the building and get more details from related authorities on the deal to export the trash.”

Another activist expressed astonishment at what she described “a cruel behavior of the security forces who tried to prevent them from storming the building where they demanded to meet with head of the CIB.

Later National News Agency said that a delegation from the activists was granted a meeting with head of the CIB, and that the activists will determine the next step based on the outcome.

A trash management crisis erupted when the Naameh landfill was closed in July 2015.

The government’s failure to find alternatives led to the piling up of garbage on the streets and in random locations, which raised health and environmental concerns and sparked unprecedented street protests against the entire political class.

In December, the cabinet approved an export plan with representatives of Britain’s Chinook Urban Mining International firm and Holland’s Howa BV.

The agreement drew concerns and doubts when some media reports claimed that Howa BV lacks experience in waste management.

D.A.

M.T.
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/198851-we-want-accountability-demands-briefing-on-trash-export-deal
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Report: Trash Will be Exported in Less than a Month – NAHARNET

The two firms that agreed to export Lebanon’s trash are said to close the deal with the Lebanese government by the end of the current week after presenting a guarantee of $2.5 million each, al-Akhbar daily reported on Tuesday.

“The preliminary contracts with Britain’s Chinook Urban Mining International and Holland’s Howa BV to export the waste will be signed before the end of the week,” said the daily.

“The two firms are supposed to provide a guarantee worth $2.5 million each to the Lebanese government until the submission of documents of transport to whichever countries will receive the trash before signing the deal,” it added.

“Everything is going well so far, and the preparation for exporting the trash have started. We expect the process to kick off in less than a month,” the daily quoted ministerial sources following up on the issue.

Lebanon has been suffering from a waste management crisis since July 2015 when the Naameh landfill that receives the trash of Beirut and Mount Lebanon closed.

Efforts to solve the crisis including a plan that was suggested by Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb failed to reach fruition.

In December, the cabinet approved an export plan after meeting with representatives of the two firms.

The companies still have to sign the agreements with the countries that will receive the garbage.

The exportation plan will include the newly generated trash excluding the piles that were burnt and buried.

The government’s failure to find alternatives led to the piling up of garbage on the streets and in random locations, which raised health and environmental concerns and sparked unprecedented street protests against the entire political class.

D.A.

M.T.
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/198629-report-trash-will-be-exported-in-less-than-a-month
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