Tire smoke rises into the sky over Tripoli. Photo Michel Hallak
Black smoke billowed over Tripoli this morning, particularly in the Saki district, where residents burned tires to extract copper and resell it, with total impunity, reports L'Orient-Le Jour's correspondent in North Lebanon.
This phenomenon is making a comeback in the northern capital, where the smoke caused by these fires pollutes the air, soil and water, affecting both the environment and the health of local residents. The security services have tried to put an end to this practice, but their initiatives have failed, reports L'Orient-Le Jour's correspondent, stressing that no one has been arrested, although those responsible for such actions are known to the competent authorities. According to him, the latter would probably benefit from political support.
Caretaker Environment Minister Nasser Yassin said he was looking into the matter, promising an intervention on Tuesday by the Internal Security Forces to prevent anyone from setting tires on fire and put an end to such practices.
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.