The Ras Al-Ain Dump

The Ras Al-Ain landfill in the city of Tyre is considered one of the most prominent sources of environmental pollution in southern Lebanon. This informal landfill was established in the 1990s, near the groundwater channel of the Ras Al-Ain spring, which is the main source of irrigation and drinking water in the area. Due to its sensitive location, the landfill has become a direct threat to both environmental and public health.  Thousands of tons of solid waste have accumulated on an area of approximately 18,000 m², receiving waste from 26 towns, in addition to the city of Tyre and three camps, without any environmental regulations. As toxic leachate seeped into the soil and groundwater, risks to public health increased, and large areas of agricultural land were contaminated. The landfill also became a source of carcinogenic gas emissions and foul odors, making it one of the most dangerous pollution hotspots on the southern coast.  The site poses exceptional risk due to its proximity to the historic Ras Al-Ain pools, a major source of drinking water in Tyre, and a natural extension of the Tyre Beach Reserve, listed under the international Ramsar Convention. It also holds a rich cultural heritage connected to the ancient city of Tyre (“Ushu”), making it an extremely sensitive environmental–historical site.

 Since 2015, the Green Southerners Association has initiated an emergency plan to address the landfill crisis, which included:

•  Emphasizing the complete cessation of the landfill’s operation and preventing its conversion into an official dump.  
• Calling for the implementation of waste sorting at the source as a strategic option.  
• Proposing a gradual isolation of the landfill to limit the leakage of toxic leachate into groundwater.
•  Coordinating with municipalities and civil society to find alternatives based on recycling and sustainable treatment.  

The association also clearly warned of the health and environmental risks, including emissions of toxic gases and carcinogenic pollutants, contamination of the Ras Al-Ain pools, and poisoning of water, crops, and the sea. To raise community awareness, it organized a large civic meeting and field visits by experts to the landfill.  The association proposed permanently closing the landfill before the end of 2015, rehabilitating the degraded land, and converting it into public parks. It continued its advocacy and campaigns until a final and immediate decision was issued to close the landfill on September 4, 2015, under the directive of Speaker Nabih Berri, thus closing one of the most dangerous environmental pollution cases in the south.