Beirut waste-sorting facility rebuilt after Beirut Port explosion, remains unused amid dispute

Report by Maroun Nassif, English adaptation by Mariella Succar 

The waste-sorting facility in Karantina district, which was destroyed in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, has been fully rehabilitated with international funding — but remains idle due to a dispute between government authorities.

The $6 million project was financed by the Lebanon Financing Facility, a World Bank–managed trust fund, and carried out by the U.N. Development Program in coordination with Lebanon’s Environment Ministry and the Municipality of Beirut.

Environment Minister Tamara el-Zein recently raised the issue in Cabinet after the Beirut Municipality refused to take over the facility, citing a lack of funds to operate it. 

The Cabinet later approved the municipality’s formal takeover and instructed it to begin operations until the necessary funding is secured.

Despite the decision, Beirut Mayor Ibrahim Zeidan has continued to reject the handover, leaving the newly rebuilt plant unused.

The standoff highlights Lebanon’s chronic governance and waste management challenges. Even as international donors continue to invest in critical infrastructure, local authorities struggle to maintain basic public services — further eroding confidence among investors and aid partners.