NOVEMBER 2017 ISBN: 978-1-6231-35461
“As If You’re Inhaling Your Death”
The Health Risks of Burning Waste in Lebanon

Summary …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Recommendations ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
To the Ministry of Environment ……………………………………………………………………………………. 9
To the Ministry of Public Health ………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
To the Ministry of Education ………………………………………………………………………………………. 10
To the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities………………………………………………………………… 10
To the Lebanese Parliament ………………………………………………………………………………………. 10
To International Donors ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
Methodology …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
I. Background ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..14
Open Burning …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 16
Beirut and Mount Lebanon……………………………………………………………………………………….. 20
Outside Beirut and Mount Lebanon…………………………………………………………………………….. 23
Environmental Concerns of Open Dumping and Burning …………………………………………………. 24
The Refugee Crisis …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 25
Legislative and Policy Efforts ……………………………………………………………………………………. 26
II. The Effects of Open Burning ……………………………………………………………………………… 28
Quality of Life ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 29
The Health Risks of Open Burning ………………………………………………………………………………. 32
The Impact of Open Burning on Nearby Residents …………………………………………………………. 38
Vulnerable Populations ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 41
Disproportionate Impact on Poor Communities …………………………………………………………….. 45
III. Authorities’ Response ……………………………………………………………………………………. 49
Inadequate Support to Municipalities ………………………………………………………………………… 49
Protests and Complaints …………………………………………………………………………………………… 51
Municipalities’ Failure to Act ……………………………………………………………………………………… 52
Accountability ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 55
Right to Information …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 56
IV. Steps Forward ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 59
Positive Examples …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 59
The Future of Waste Management in Lebanon ………………………………………………………………. 61
V. Legal Standards …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 64
Acknowledgments ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 67
Annex I: Response from Ministry of Public Health ……………………………………………………. 68
Annex II: Response from Civil Defense ……………………………………………………………………. 71

full report: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/lebanon1117_web_1.pdf