Army Commander Joseph Aoun laid the foundation stone for the medical waste treatment project at the Logistic Brigade, funded by Slovakia, Austria, and the Czech Republic through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In his speech, the commander emphasized the project's importance for both environmental and public health reasons, given the hazardous medical materials produced by hospitals. He noted that the leadership allocates a significant part of its capabilities to developmental aspects, including environmental protection and heritage support, as well as all related activities.
He pointed out that the army dedicates all its resources to serving the environment in Lebanon, through firefighting, pesticide spraying, cleaning archaeological sites, protecting cultural properties, waste sorting, surveying quarries and sand pits, and providing old military vehicles to associations involved in fisheries for placement on the seabed. Additionally, he mentioned reforestation in border areas along the eastern range and moving towards alternative energy sources in most garrisons and military centers, alongside cleaning lands contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance.
He stated, "There is no doubt that the commitment of the United Nations Environment Programme and the countries of Slovakia, Austria, and the Czech Republic towards Lebanon and its army is an additional confirmation of their constant interest in us." The army commander thanked everyone who contributed to this project, assuring that the army would manage it ideally for the Lebanese medical sector.
For his part, the Slovak Foreign Minister described the project as meaningful and necessary assistance for Lebanon, highlighting that his country is "working with Austria and the Czech Republic to help Lebanon implement sound environmental conditions within the health sector." Environment Minister Nasser Yassin confirmed that "the project is a step forward towards sustainable environmental treatment." A UNEP representative spoke, highlighting the importance of addressing health waste as a matter requiring immediate attention, thanking the Lebanese army for its cooperation in accomplishing the first phase of the project, which lays the groundwork for future steps leading to sustainable environmental solutions at the national level.
