If Lebanon wishes to adopt the zero-waste concept, then the public needs to implement the three Rs ­ reduce, reuse, recycle ­ while leaving behind the mentality that “being human means having to produce waste,” according to Greenpeace campaigner in Lebanon, Wael Hmaidan.
Hmaidan was the guest speaker at a solid waste management “eco gathering” held at the office of the Lebanese environmental group, Greenline, on Monday.
The main focus of discussions were the zero-waste concept, the role of experts and the public in policy formation, and the implementation of solid waste management reforms in Lebanon.
“I’ve realized that in Lebanon there is no knowledge of the concept of zero waste,” Hmaidan said, stressing that “people think humans have to produce excessive waste, while the fact is that there is no such thing as waste in nature.”
Greenpeace shared their experiences in zero-waste strategy during the gathering, as Greenline is revamping its solid waste management campaign, in conjunction with a global movement that is shying away from landfills and incineration, and is rather moving toward recycling, composting and autoclaving ­ high-pressure steam sterilization of the waste.
Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan are some nations that are getting more involved in zero-waste strategies, mostly through pilot projects, while the Kamikatsu-cho municipality in Japan is unveiling plans for zero waste by the year 2020.
According to Hmaidan, the right question to ask is not “where do we put our waste?” but “how do we minimize our waste?” ­ portraying a necessary paradigm shift by those currently dealing in solid waste management.
While some may doubt the possibility of ever reaching zero waste in Lebanon, Hmaidan said that by simply adopting the three Rs, 90 percent of Lebanon’s waste can be dealt with, as 63 to 80 percent of Lebanon’s waste is organic and can be easily composted.
The high percentage of organic matter in waste here is characteristic of developing nations. Reforming certain industries to reuse or recycle their products and packaging would push the level of recycled waste up to 95 or 97 percent. That leaves medical and other hazardous waste, which is eliminated through autoclaving.
Hmaidan added that “incinerators are the main producers of POPs, and that’s why environmental groups target them.”
POPs is the term used to refer to persistent organic pollutants ­ a whole class of toxins that environmentalists are hoping to eradicate.