From 2015 to 2025, Lebanon has been trapped in a recurring waste crisis. For a decade, successive governments have failed to find a lasting solution, instead opting for quick fixes and stopgap measures that have only prolonged the suffering of residents, especially in the Metn region which is home to the overburdened Burj Hammoud landfill, also known as the Jdeideh dump. Once a temporary solution, the site has become a chronic source of environmental and health hazards in one of the country’s most densely populated areas.

Though the landfill had already reached maximum capacity, authorities raised its limit years ago, presenting locals with a stark choice: either accept its expansion or see trash pile back up on the streets. A similar scenario nearly played out during the most recent Cabinet session, where the Council for Development and Reconstruction proposed establishing a new landfill cell at the same site. Public backlash forced the government to postpone the decision until a future session.

The government may have deferred the issue for now, but it is far from resolved. Environmental experts, local MPs, and residents alike are bracing for the possibility that the expansion plan will resurface. Among those firmly opposed is Charbel Bou Doumit, head of the Kataeb Environment Department, who told kataeb.org that "the very existence of the landfill in this area is unacceptable," wondering how anyone can even consider expanding it. 

Bou Doumit argued that even if the landfill must remain temporarily, the focus should shift toward waste treatment methods that do not endanger public health. He noted that the current open-air setup has already led to repeated fires, such as last year’s blaze that caused extensive damage.

“Jdeideh is among the areas bearing the brunt of Lebanon’s environmental crisis,” he said,  asserting that the idea of a landfill in this location should be ruled out entirely. “The objective should not be the expansion of the landfill, but rather a lasting resolution."

Instead, Bou Doumit called for a comprehensive waste management plan, which could include building a specialized treatment plant or adopting advanced sorting and processing technologies. In the meantime, the government should locate an alternative site or repurpose the current one into a safe recycling facility that benefits locals without harming their health.

Bou Doumit warned that Lebanon has one of the region’s highest rates of respiratory illness, making the current environmental conditions a growing threat to public health.

“Keeping the landfill as it is isn’t a solution, and expanding it is even worse,” he said. “The real answer lies in waste processing facilities that can deal with existing waste before exploring any other options.”

While possible solutions exist, Bou Doumit said they require political will, proper funding, and collaboration with environmental experts.

“The true solution is to build a sorting center and end landfilling altogether. Waste has economic value and can generate significant revenue if managed properly.”

“If authorities insist on keeping the landfill, then at least they must find ways for both the state and local residents to benefit from it,” he added.

One potential solution, he said, would be to bring in companies or experts willing to invest in exchange for shared revenue.

“The root of the problem is that this landfill should never have existed in the first place,” he said. “But now that the damage is done, the best solution is to manage the waste and introduce recycling. It’s an economically smart step that directly benefits the people of the region.”

Bou Doumit also renewed the Kataeb Party’s longstanding call for decentralized waste management. Under this approach, each municipality—or a small cluster of municipalities—would take full responsibility for collecting, sorting, and treating waste locally.

“This model makes it possible to recycle and sell waste products, promoting local development and protecting the environment,” he said.

He also warned that once organic waste becomes contaminated, it becomes much harder to process, thus making early-stage sorting essential. Citing successful case studies from several municipalities already implementing such decentralized models, Bou Doumit stressed that proper oversight is key to any program’s success.

“The answer isn’t expanding landfill capacity,” he said. “It’s improving sorting at the source; an approach that would significantly reduce environmental impact while also creating job opportunities for locals.”

Now, residents and environmental advocates are looking to Lebanon’s first government under the new presidential term with cautious hope. Will it finally take decisive action and deliver a permanent solution to a crisis that has plagued the people of Metn for a decade? Or will it, once again, fall back on temporary fixes and political patchwork?