Ahmad Mehdi has been living in a partially damaged home since an Israeli airstrike in October destroyed significant portions of his fifth-floor apartment in a neighborhood south of Beirut. The airstrike caused extensive destruction to nearby buildings, leaving Mr. Mehdi and others affected grappling with the challenges of debris removal before they can begin repairs.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has led to significant damage in Lebanon, with preliminary reports estimating that nearly 3,000 buildings in the Dahiya area alone have been destroyed or severely damaged. The conflict resulted in over 3,700 fatalities and displaced approximately 1.3 million people in Lebanon, devastating both the economy and infrastructure.
Tamara Elzein from the National Council for Scientific Research reported that Israeli attacks have generated an estimated 350 million cubic feet of rubble across Lebanon. Substantial reconstruction efforts remain on hold until this debris is cleared. The situation is exacerbated in Gaza, where extensive damage has also occurred due to ongoing hostilities.
Issam Srour, a civil and environmental engineering professor, noted that Lebanon's landfills are ill-equipped to manage the hazardous waste generated by the conflict. Past disposal practices have already raised environmental concerns, particularly from the debris of the 2006 conflict. The current situation threatens to have even more severe environmental implications.
The increased use of solar panels in recent years adds another layer of complexity, as damaged panels pose risks of hazardous material leaching into the environment. The National Council estimates that nearly 4,000 solar panels in the Dahiya area were severely impacted.
Amidst the destruction, Mr. Mehdi sees potential for recycling the wreckage into new infrastructure. However, he expresses concern that the urgency of rebuilding may lead to hasty disposal methods rather than sustainable solutions. Government plans to expand dump sites like Costa Brava raise alarms about further environmental degradation.
Environmental advocacy groups, such as Terre Liban, are urging the government to prioritize sustainable waste management practices, as previous disposal methods have had detrimental effects on marine life along the coastline. Lebanon's caretaker government has allocated $25 million for damage assessment and debris removal, but details on the implementation remain vague.
Ministers have acknowledged the challenges of dealing with the large volume of rubble, particularly concerning hazardous materials. Terre Liban's president has warned against treating the Mediterranean as a dumping ground, emphasizing the potential for pollution to affect both local and European waters.
Recycling could emerge as a viable solution to mitigate environmental impacts, potentially reducing Lebanon's carbon emissions significantly. Experts have highlighted that reusing rubble for construction can lessen greenhouse gas emissions, presenting debris not as waste but as a resource for future rebuilding efforts.