Solid waste tender launched

Costa Brava site to be used for Greater Beirut

The Ministry of Environment (MoE) has launched two solid waste tenders in three service areas, based on a January decision of the Council of Ministers.

The first tender is for the sweeping, collection and transportation of solid waste. The second is for treatment, land-filling and energy production. The tenders are for Greater Beirut and the suburbs, Jbeil, Kesrouan and Metn as the second area and Shouf, Baabda, and Aley as the third.

Tenders for the remaining three service areas, North Lebanon and Akkar, South Lebanon and Nabatieh, and Bekaa and Baalbeck-Hermel, will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

The results of these two tenders will be announced on April 14, according to a statement by the MOE.

Successful bidders will be required to search for sites that are suitable for treatment and land-filling. They can resort to the help of the MoE and Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) if they do not find available plots. Environment Minister Mohammad Machnouk said that a site has already been chosen for the first service area. “It is located facing the Costa Brava on the Khalde coast, south of Beirut. The site was used before as a dumpster, especially following the destruction of large parts of the southern suburbs during the 2006 Israeli attacks,” he said.

Last month, the Council of Ministers amended the solid waste plan, which was passed late last year. Its implementation became a top priority since the contracts for the current waste management firm expired last month. The contract to shut down the Naameh landfill also expired last month. However, they were renewed for three months until the new tenders had been completed.

According to the amended waste plan, each contractor will be allowed to operate a maximum of two blocks. The contract term will be for seven years, with a possibility to renew for three years.