In 2018, the Lebanese Parliament passed a law to provide the legal framework for municipalities to self-manage their solid waste. While this was an important step towards addressing the solid waste crisis in Lebanon, it placed a significant burden on municipalities to sort, collect, and treat their recyclable waste – especially amidst the ongoing financial crisis – which has caused rising communal tensions stemming from improper waste management. In response, USAID’s Community Support Program (CSP) has supported 54 municipalities to improve their recyclables waste management processes by upgrading local material recovery facilities (MRFs) and providing recyclables waste bins and cages. To increase the impact, avoid duplication, save resources, and ensure the sustainability of this investment, CSP collaborated with USAID’s DAWERR program to establish a Recyclables Waste Management Community of Practice (CoP) which enables local actors to share lessons learnt and best practices specific to managing recyclable waste. On November 29, 2022, CSP delivered a CoP training to 35 workers, municipality members, CSO representatives, and mayors from targeted communities on the safe collection and handling of recyclables, workers’ hygiene, and the use of the personal safety equipment provided by USAID. The participants then visited the Amioun MRF for an interactive workshop on the handling and disposal of recyclable waste.

“This training made us more aware of the safety measures we need to take while handling recyclable waste, and clarified the tasks we are to carry out during our workday,” said Dalal Dakkoum, employee at the Amioun MRF.