RES-Q an Ongoing Project on Municipal Solid Waste Management Program for the Protection of the Saniq River Basin in Southern Lebanon

Lebanon is currently facing an unprecedented mix of social, economic, and political crises, which exacerbate many public health and environmental health problems. Among these, solid waste management (SWM) is considered one of the biggest challenges that Lebanon has been facing for the past two decades. In the absence of national guidelines and ministerial action, SWM is a responsibility of local municipalities. In this paper, we describe the development of a technology-based Waste Management System (WMS) in an area of 43 villages in southern Lebanon. The project is inspired to the paradigms of circular economy and smart cities, and it aims to define affordable and efficient strategies to address SWM. The driving factor in defining the strategies is economic and environmental sustainability, as Lebanon imports most of its resources in hard currency, which is becoming less and less available. The lessons learned from this project can be transposed in other areas and countries with limited financial resources, representing an important paradigm for the WMSs in many areas of the world.