These pictures were taken in Dora yesterday and it’s probably even worse today. Meanwhile, the government is still undecided on where to send the garbage and the health and environmental risks associated with this crisis have already reached an alarming level.
In fact, the American University of Beirut’s K2P Center issued a report back in December 2015 stating that “alarming air levels of dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been identified, rendering this problem nothing short of an emergency”. They also added that “time lapse and changes in weather conditions have affected the release of toxins, contamination of food and water, and emergence of infectious diseases; thus necessitating immediate action”. [Full Report]
If you are looking to read more on the garbage crisis in Lebanon and its history, I recommend these two great pieces by Matt Nash:
[Recycling history: Lebanon set to repeat past mistakes]
[Dissecting a waste empire: How Lebanese governments created a trash monopoly]
On another note, riot police members were caught posing in their new uniforms.
