Jreissati: I have asked EU to monitor waste incineration

In 2019, Lebanon’s Environment Minister, Fadi Jreissati, announced that he had requested the European Union to oversee and monitor the country’s waste incineration efforts. Jreissati’s request aimed to address concerns regarding Lebanon’s capacity to effectively manage and regulate waste incineration technology, which produces potentially toxic emissions. He emphasized the need for a credible and competent oversight body to ensure the safety and efficacy of the incineration processes, given Lebanon’s current lack of regulatory infrastructure and expertise.

Jreissati highlighted the importance of this oversight in a bid to guarantee the Lebanese public that waste incineration would be conducted safely and transparently. He pointed out that local staff would be trained by EU experts over several years to eventually take over the monitoring responsibilities.

This move came amid a backdrop of ongoing environmental challenges in Lebanon, including a critical solid-waste management crisis that has seen numerous temporary solutions and an increase in informal dumps across the country. The Environment Minister also noted the severe budgetary constraints facing his ministry, which have hampered efforts to implement sustainable waste management solutions.

Jreissati’s approach contrasted sharply with that of his predecessor, Tarek Khatib, who had previously asserted that the Environment Ministry was capable of managing multiple incinerators with existing resources. Jreissati, however, acknowledged the dire state of Lebanon’s environmental management and the need for substantial investment and international support to tackle these issues effectively.