Tripoli Sanitary Landfill
34°27'37.9"N 35°50'28.4"E
Reaching full capacity
Raouda MBT facility
(non-operational)
Located in the North-East part of Lebanon, the North Lebanon Governorate Service Zone 2 is composed of two Districts (Cazas): Tripoli and Miniyeh.
Waste collection and transportation in the Service Zone operates under a decentralised model, with private operators contracted at either the union or municipal level. Both Tripoli and Miniyeh rely predominantly on communal bin systems, where residents deposit commingled waste at designated roadside points. In Tripoli, the private operator Lavajet manages both waste collection and direct transportation to the Tripoli Sanitary Landfill (SLF). In Miniyeh, municipal contractors collect and transport waste to the out-of-service Raouda Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facility, which currently functions as a transfer station before waste is moved by larger trucks to the Srar dumpsite in Akkar.
Both districts are facing a critical waste treatment gap following the failure of their main facilities. The Tripoli MBT — originally designed to serve Fayhaa UoM and financed by the European Union — has been non-operational due to contractor disputes, technical failures, and community complaints, and now requires major rehabilitation. Similarly, the Raouda MBT serving Miniyeh UoM was destroyed by fire in 2019 and remains out of service due to lack of funding. With both facilities non-functional, the region currently depends on interim collection arrangements and direct disposal, highlighting the urgent need for investment in infrastructure rehabilitation and a coordinated regional waste management strategy.
*Due to challenges in accessing data, a proxy value of 30% was applied to account for waste generated by non-household sources, including markets, commercial establishments, private and public sector facilities, educational institutions, hospitals, and hotels.
During June, July and August 2025, our partner Libanconsult AGM carried out a detailed waste assessment together with UN-Habitat Lebanon. Before starting the fieldwork, the team met with local authorities and community stakeholders to explain the process, align expectations, and ensure smooth coordination. Local staff also received hands-on training to support the data collection.
This assessment used three internationally recognised tools that help cities understand how much waste they generate, how it is handled, and where problems—such as plastic leakage—may occur. Together, these tools give a clear and up-to-date picture of the municipal solid waste system.
WaCT is a step-by-step method that helps cities measure how much of their municipal waste is safely collected and managed. It supports global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11.6.1 and provides insights on food waste and resource recovery. Using WaCT, the team measured waste quantities, composition, and how waste moves through the system—from households to final disposal or recycling.
A sample of 33 households was selected across three representative sampling zones within SZ2. The selection process was guided by WaCT and refined through a socio-economic analysis conducted in coordination with local authorities.
The WFD maps what happens to waste after it is generated, with a special focus on plastics. It shows how waste flows through the system, where materials are recovered or reused, and where leakage into the environment occurs. This helps identify hotspots that require action.
WABIs offer a standardized way to evaluate how well the waste system is performing. The indicators cover both the physical aspects (collection, treatment, recycling) and the governance aspects (financial sustainability, inclusion of informal workers, and policy frameworks). These indicators help compare performance across areas and highlight key strengths and gaps.
