Marine Waste in Lebanon: 82% Comes from Land

The Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the World Bank, launched the results of a study on the state of waste along the Lebanese coast titled "Baseline of Marine Waste in Lebanon," aimed at identifying sources and pathways of marine waste and the most vulnerable areas. The study revealed that over 82% of marine waste originates from land sources. The most common items included single-use plastics, bottle caps, beverage bottles, cigarette butts, and cups, which are often left behind by beachgoers. Geographic Information System analysis highlighted an increase in sites for random waste disposal near river mouths, with 73 potential new sites since 2017 near permanent rivers, contributing to the rise of marine waste and its transfer through river basins. The results also identified three main sources of plastic waste leakage: waste directly discarded by beachgoers, waste not collected within cities, and illegal dumps along riverbanks. In its recommendations, the Ministry of Environment outlined a roadmap to rescue Lebanon's solid waste sector, which includes establishing institutional foundations for integrated sector management as well as new legislation on plastic use and recycling over the next three years.