MP Elias Hankach has rejected any extension of operations at the Jdeideh landfill, arguing that the Metn district, which pays the highest share of taxes, should not be expected to absorb waste generated elsewhere.

“We will not accept extending the operation of the Jdeideh landfill. We want an alternative waste management plan, and we will not compromise on this issue,” Hankach said. "The government must present an alternative based on decentralized waste treatment.”

Speaking on Voice of Lebanon radio, Hankach said the worsening environmental situation along the Metn coast could not be dismissed as a routine political dispute or a problem with public services, particularly as concerns grow over rising cancer cases in towns across the area.

“This is a matter of public health and the safety of Lebanese citizens. We cannot treat it as an ordinary political disagreement or a routine services issue while cancer cases are increasing in towns along the Metn coast,” he said.

Hankach called on Environment Minister Tamara Zein to explain how the government intends to address the situation and asked who would be held accountable for the existing environmental damage.

He also questioned whether the environment minister, the current government and the Council for Development and Reconstruction were prepared to take responsibility for the worsening environmental consequences affecting the northern Metn coastal area.