Home to 110,000 Lebanese residents and 10,000 refugees, Batroun is one of North Lebanon’s six districts. The Union of Batroun Municipalities manages the area’s dumpsite known as Wadi Eddeh, which handles around 120 tons of waste daily and operates on an annual budget of LBP 3,000,000,000.

However, amid Lebanon’s economic crisis and the absence of central government funding, municipalities in Batroun are unable to pay waste collectors, hindering proper waste management in the area and posing a risk to public health. In response, USAID’s Community Support Program (CSP) is distributing around 1,100 recycling bins across 12 municipalities in Batroun district benefiting 82,245 residents. To complement this provision of equipment, CSP, in partnership with Saint Joseph University’s Chair of Fondation Diane for Education on Eco-citizenship and Sustainable Development (CEEDD) is implementing a comprehensive, inclusive awareness raising campaign on sorting-at-source.

On March 27, 2024, CSP and CEEDD launched the sorting-at-source campaign with participation from the Head of the Batroun Union of Municipalities and members of the steering and implementation committees comprised of municipal members, private sector representatives, youth volunteers, and community members from the 12 benefitting village.

“This initiative aligns perfectly with our vision for Batroun, considering it is a tourist destination. Reducing waste at the source and raising awareness are shared goals with USAID, especially when they are implemented by our volunteers and residents, creating a sense of ownership,” said Dany Younes, a member of the steering committee.

The 12 municipalities are: Koubba, Ijdabra, Eddeh, El Batroun, Bchaale, Aabrine, Kfar Hilda, Kfar Aabida, Mehmarch, Tannourine, Douma, and Heri.