Iqlim al-Kharroub Residents Block Beirut-South Highway to Prevent Waste Transfer to Their Region

Residents of the Chouf area of Iqlim al-Kharroub southeast of Beirut blocked the vital Beirut-South highway early Sunday in protest at the environment ministry's decision to transfer the garbage that has been accumulating over the last week to their province, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The residents gathered on the coastal highway in the town of Jiyeh at the junction of Barja and blocked the road in both directions.

Some youths also blocked the road leading to the Siblin Cement Factory fearing that dump trucks might take the garbage to that destination, NNA added.

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation later said that the residents erected tents in the middle of the Jiyeh highway.

The protesters also prevented 4 dump trucks from passing.

NNA later said that they emptied stone-loaded trucks in the middle of the highway. They stressed that they will not open the road until the environment ministry backs down from its decision.

However, the adjacent seaside road was "partially" reopened in both directions in the afternoon, according to the Traffic Management Center.

TMC said the area was witnessing traffic congestion.

Beirut and the Mount Lebanon area were plunged into a waste disposal crisis following last week's closure of the Naameh landfill without finding an alternative.

Garbage has been piling on the streets of the capital and Mount Lebanon after dumpsters overflowed with tons of trash.

Some people have resorted to burning the waste to tackle the problem amid the government's ongoing failure to find a solution to the crisis, although health experts have warned of the hazards resulting from such a move.

D.A./Y.R.