Gaza MINA – The head of the Joint Services Council for Solid Waste Management in Khan Yunis, Rafah, and the Central area, Ahmed Al-Sufi, has warned of an imminent collapse of the waste management system in the Gaza Strip, in light of the continuation of Israeli attacks and the closure of main landfills, according to the Palestine Information Center.
Al-Sufi said, during a press conference on Thursday near the Al-Baraka landfill south of Deir al-Balah in the center of the Strip, that the crisis has exceeded the humanitarian dimension to turn into an accelerating environmental and health catastrophe that directly threatens the lives of residents and displaced people, as a result of the accumulation of waste in the streets and the lack of access to sanitary landfills.
He explained that the closure of the Al-Fukhari landfill, which is the main facility for waste disposal in the south and center of the Strip, led to the spread of random landfills near residential areas and displaced persons’ tents, especially with the presence of large areas out of reach due to military restrictions.
Al-Sufi pointed out that more than 900 days of war have exacerbated the crisis, in light of the continued prevention of the entry of basic operational materials, such as fuel, oils, and spare parts, which caused the breakdown of most waste collection vehicles, and increased health and environmental risks.
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He added that the prevention of the entry of rodent and insect control materials contributed to the worsening of their spread among piles of waste, warning that this portends the outbreak of unusual diseases, and its repercussions may extend beyond the borders of the Strip.
Al-Sufi called for urgent international action to contain the situation, demanding the opening of the roads leading to the Al-Fukhari landfill and allowing its use immediately, in addition to the entry of the necessary operational supplies for the work of the municipalities.
He also demanded the launch of an urgent environmental response supported financially and technically, to enable the municipalities and the Services Council to continue performing their duties and prevent reaching the stage of complete collapse.
He stressed that the municipalities are working under worsening catastrophic conditions, at a time when the Joint Services Council estimates indicate the accumulation of about one million tons of solid waste since the outbreak of the war in the areas of Khan Yunis and the Central area, while the crews collect daily approximately 1,400 tons only.
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The Gaza Strip has recently witnessed an accelerating environmental deterioration as a result of the difficult humanitarian conditions, which led to the spread of insects and rodents and the outbreak of diseases, especially among children and the elderly.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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