Solid waste: Weak appetite

To close Naameh landfill July 17

The Ministerial Committee handling the task of controlling the solid waste tenders that were launched in five service areas announced today the results of the bids received at the Council of Development and Reconstruction (CDR).

No bids were received for Greater Beirut and the suburbs, nor Shouf, Baabda, and Aley. The service area combining Jbeil, Kesrouan and Metn received three bids. Each of the three remaining service areas received one bid: the North and Akkar; the Bekaa and Baalbeck, and the South.

Environment Minister, Mohammad Machnouk, said that the committee did not open the bids in the areas that received only one offer. It only opened it in the second area in Jbeil, Kesrouan and Metn. He said that they were opened to ensure that the companies abided to the terms of reference.

The three bids in the collective area of Metn, Kesrouan and Jbeil were from the company BUTEC, Indevco, Pizano, Araco, Sorico, Lavajet, Khoury, and Danico. The committee approved their bids as they complied with the required conditions.

The committee will prepare a report and refer it to the Cabinet to continue the tenders. The Cabinet will study the possibility of re-launching tenders or exporting the wastes.

Machnouk said that the Naameh landfill will be closed July 17, despite the results announced today. The contract to shut down the Naameh landfill expired last January. However, it was renewed for six months until the new tenders had been completed.

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.

Machnouk said that a site has already been chosen for the first service area (Beirut and the suburbs). “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.

Machnouk said that sites of landfills in Metn and Keseroun couldn’t be known before looking at the bids. “We accepted the bids according to their compliance with the terms of reference and the committee is required to study the bids again.”

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