On December the 3rd, the new Cesvi report – “Solid Waste Management in Occupied Palestinian Territory – West Bank Including East Jerusalem & Gaza” written by Mrs. Valerie Thöni and Eng. Samir Matar, was officially presented at the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) in Ramallah.
The publication provides an up-to-date overview of the situation of solid waste in the West Bank and Gaza strip, including refugee camps. In addition, estimates on the quantity of waste generated in East Jerusalem are provided. The report is based on a review of available official documents, interviews with various service providers and field visits to waste management facilities.
The presentation was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG), the Joint Service Councils for Solid Waste Management – the public utilities in charge of the service – the Japan International Cooperation Agency, universities, and local and international NGOs.
During the event, Mrs. Thöni presented the main findings of the study, including the main challenges and opportunities. On behalf of the MoLG, Mr. Suleiman Abu Mfarreh warmly welcomed her publication, hoping that it will be a “reference document not only for authorities and practitioners, but also for universities for the purpose of research and teaching”. Similar comments were shared by all the participants, who also discussed how to deal with the relevant challenges of the sector, including how to close illegal dumpsites, raise awareness in the population, introduce separate collection, and make the service truly sustainable.
The full report is available here.
A short video presentation of the report is available here.