Hands off Beddawi… Residents Reject Turning Their Town Into A Landfill

The Cabinet has approved a new landfill cell in Beddawi to address the worsening waste crisis in Tripoli, after its current landfill reached capacity and no alternative sites were found.

The decision sparked protests outside Beddawi’s municipal building. Residents and the municipality oppose the project in Saqi al-Beddawi, saying the land is zoned for housing and lies near homes and schools. The municipality has pledged legal action to stop it.

Residents warn of health and environmental risks, including groundwater, soil and air pollution, particularly for children and older people.

The dispute exposes the state’s continued reliance on burying waste instead of investing in sorting, treatment and recycling. Tripoli deserves a solution, and Beddawi deserves to protect its land and residents’ health. Neither community should bear the cost of decades of mismanagement.