Ramco picking up
Beirut trash as of May

Treatment of refuse coming up next

A joint venture between local firm Ramco Trading and Contracting and Turkish firm Altaş Temizlik has started garbage collection, transport, and road sweeping operations in Beirut.

The company won the tender, held by the Municipality of Beirut, for $70 million over a period of five renewable years.

The company will pick up 650 tons of waste per day.

The company has taken over operations from Sukleen, a company under the Averda umbrella, and which had been in charge of road sweeping and pickup and transportation of garbage in Beirut and Mount Lebanon for the past 18 years.

Hagop Terzian, Member of the Board in Beirut Municipality said: “We ask Beirut residents to start sorting their waste as several types of bins will be available on the streets.”

Collection bins of three different kinds are scheduled to be placed in 250 underground collection points, as well as above ground.

According to the terms of reference, Ramco has adopted new technologies in transporting waste. The company's trucks and pickups are equipped with GPS, as well as being Euro 5-certified equipment (according to European emission standards).

Terzian said that the company will conduct awareness campaigns to encourage sorting at source.

“Terms of reference are being prepared for the treatment of the collected waste,” he said.

Ramco had won a tender for the collection and transportation of garbage in Metn and Keserouan last year.