On April 27, 2022, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under its Community Support Program (CSP), held a recyclables marketing workshop to link 35 municipalities working on solid waste recovery in various regions in Lebanon with 27 companies that buy recyclables. The workshop, the first of its kind in Lebanon held at the Heritage Venue in Nahr El-Kalb, will contribute to enhancing the municipal capabilities and sales of municipal recyclables. During the workshop USAID also launched a national electronic database of recyclables collectors and buyers, as well as an electronic municipal legal guide on recyclables waste management.

The workshop was held in the presence of USAID/Lebanon Mission Director, Mary Eileen Devitt, and brought together municipal representatives from across Lebanon to form a Community of Practice to share information, successes, and lessons learned. In her remarks, USAID Mission Director stated that, “For decades, the US Government has been a strong supporter of Lebanon’s municipalities as the key drivers of local economic development.  Since 2015, however, these municipalities have been facing enormous challenges in providing public services, most notably managing the ever-growing volume of solid waste in their towns and villages…Practical waste management approaches are now a pressing need for municipalities to help them obtain environmental sustainability and improve the quality of life of their citizens.  This is why we are here — to look at ways to reduce the volume and cost of managing waste.”

With the economic crisis, the cost of managing waste has become more challenging for municipalities. USAID has helped 51 municipalities in North Lebanon, the Bekaa and South Lebanon with $967,000 worth of equipment, bins, training, and awareness to sort waste at the source and collect recyclables.  This intervention has benefitted more than 294,000 people and helped reduce the wastes that end up in landfills by 20-30%.

The USAID-funded Community Support Program is currently supporting more than 97 municipal assistance interventions for stabilization, development, and provision of public services. These interventions worth $10.2 million will benefit 1 million people by January 2023.