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Gaza's Challenge: a review of solid waste management system in the Gaza Strip.

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Abstract

T he Gaza Strip has been a theatre of conflict for decades. The ongoing conflict has lead to significant political, social, and environmental challenges. According to a recent study by UnoPT (2012), in the absence of sustained and effective remedial actions, coupled with the rapid increase of population, the challenges which confront Gazans will be intensify over the coming years to 2020. The environmental situation in the Gaza Strip has been suffering for decades, due to under-investment in environmental systems, lack of progress on priority environmental projects, the absence of law enforcement and the tendency towards crisis management. In addition to that, the recent militarily escalations – the "Cast Lead" (2008-2009) and the "Pillar of Clouds" (2012) cased additional damage and increased the pressure on environmental facilities and infrastructure. One of the most striking examples is the significant volume of generated demolition debris due to heavy bombing. Approximately 600 000 tonnes of construction rubble were generated due to the "Cast Lead" alone. 1 The Gaza Strip is a narrow strip of land on the Mediterranean coast. It borders Israel to the east and north and Egypt to the south. It covers a total area of 365km 2 which is approximately the same area as Bradford city. In 1948, the Gaza had a population of less than 100 000 people. Currently it is approximately 1.6m, of whom almost 1m are UN-registered refugees, distributed across five governorates. 2 It is expected that the population of Gaza will increase to 2.1m by 2020 and 3.2m by 2040. 3, 4 Gaza Strip has been under severe siege for almost six years, which was partially lifted after the Egyptian revolution in January 2011. Waste management services in Gaza are currently under great stress, as are most other public services, due to the closure and economic restrictions currently imposed. An assessment of the per capita waste generation shows that the total amounts of household waste generated by this population will likely rise from 1 506 tonnes per day in 2011 to 3 383 tonnes per day in 2040. Additionally, 147 tonnes per day of commercial waste, 157 of market waste and 1 200 per day of agricultural waste will be generated in 2040. 4 This poses a huge challenge to the waste sector in Gaza, not only taking into account the limited financial resources and underdeveloped levels of waste management services, but also the limited land availability in the Gaza Strip. The limitations in the solid waste management system in Gaza are summarized below: • the absence of consistent national and local waste management legislations • political and security instability and the Israeli control over all commercial borders with Gaza • limited fund for development projects • inefficient waste management structures • scarcity of land for waste management installations.
CIWM April 2013
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

 

 

 
 
 
How It's Managed









Gaza's Challenge
Ramy Salem specialises in waste management in post-conflict zones and developing
countries. Here he looks at current practices and the potential for development in the Gaza Strip
A waste container, near a primary school in central Gaza, is set on fire Donkey carts are used for door-to-door daily collections
INTERNATIONAL
48
April 2013 CIWM












 The










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

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














 Waste






The Long-Term Picture


































CIWM
References
 Gaza: Early Recovery and
Reconstruction Needs Assessment


 




 Gaza in 2020, a liveable place?


 Feasibility Study and Detailed
Design for Solid Waste Management in the Gaza
Strip. Palestine: Gaza
 Gaza Analysis Mission.
Disaster Waste Recovery (Mission Report)
Palestine



 Cost reduction through waste

practices in the Palestinian Territories.


 Report of the Commissioner General
of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.


The Author
Ramy Salem,
BEng(Hons) MSc
GradMCIWM ISWA
is a solid waste
management
consultant with a
focus on post-
conflict zones
and developing
countries. He is the
founder of "Zero
Waste MENA",
a new regional
initiative to promote
sustainable
practices to
create zero waste
communities in
the Middle East
& North Africa
(MENA) Region.
INTERNATIONAL
49
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