Scrap collector shop owners in Tripoli on Wednesday blocked the highway connecting the capital of North Lebanon to the Beddaoui area, as well as several adjacent roads. In protest of the decision by North Lebanon governor, Ramzi Nohra, to close their businesses, where tires are frequently burned. This practice, which allows for the extraction and sales of copper wires in the tires, constituting a significant environmental plague for the city and has been denounced on several occasions.

The demonstration caused huge traffic jams in Tripoli. The governor's decision is based on complaints from residents as well as health and environmental risks.

Last week, at least three cases of large-scale wildfires ignited within the capital of North Lebanon were reported. The scrap collectors incinerate their findings in illegal dumps located in urban areas. A mix of tires, electrical cables, scrap metal, or plastic and metal waste are burned to extract copper or iron, before selling them for a few handfuls of dollars.

With each fire, nauseating odors spread throughout the city, making the air unbreathable for several hours, or even longer in neighborhoods near the incineration sites.