South Lebanon residents protest against recurring waste fires

Residents of the villages of Der Mimes, al-Moulouk, Qlayaa, and Jdeidet Marjayoun in southern Lebanon held a sit-in on Tuesday to protest against the waste fires in the village of Kfar Tebnit (Nabatieh). This dump frequently catches fire, releasing toxic fumes and foul odors that affect the surrounding villages.

Hanna Daher, the president of the municipal council of Qlayaa, explained to the state-run National News Agency (NNA) that the problem dates back decades and that the fires were "recurring." According to him, "the dump had already been sealed with red wax."

Bassam Lahoud, a member of the Marjayoun municipal council, said that this movement would escalate to a permanent sit-in if the problem was not resolved, noting that the Environment Ministry had been notified.

In most regions of Lebanon, waste ends up in wild dumps without any treatment. The fires are often set to try to reduce the volume of garbage when the sites are full. The smoke emanating from garbage burned in such a wild manner is particularly toxic.