Beirut: Following today’s Cabinet session, Minister of Information, Paul Morcos, announced the approval of the Ministry of Environment’s action plan on waste management. The session also focused on challenges and solutions related to wastewater treatment infrastructure.

According to National News Agency – Lebanon, the meeting centered on two key topics. First, the Cabinet reviewed a presentation by the Minister of Energy and Water outlining the current state of Lebanon’s wastewater sector. The presentation highlighted institutional, operational, and financial difficulties faced by the regional water establishments responsible for managing sewage networks. A roadmap was presented to address these obstacles with the aim of providing equitable and sustainable services.

Following deliberations, the Cabinet approved the Ministry’s plan to empower water establishments in managing wastewater treatment projects, complete ongoing infrastructure rehabilitation efforts, and secure funding for incomplete projects.

The second topic concerned solid waste management. The Cabinet endorsed the Environment Ministry’s plan, emphasizing the urgent need to finalize procedures for appointing a National Solid Waste Management Authority. It also supported updating the national solid waste strategy, drafting a cost-recovery law for waste management, and retrieving a 2023 bill previously submitted to Parliament. The Cabinet stressed the importance of securing funding, particularly through donor coordination, and agreed to continue discussions in a future session.