In Lebanon's capital, Beirut, a veritable "river of trash" is forming with the accumulation of waste that has been left without a destination since the city's landfill was closed last July. The images are impressive and show tons of rubbish that are changing the landscape of the region.

Apart from visual pollution, the worst is the risk that uncontrolled garbage accumulation brings to public health and the environment. No alternative was presented, and the irregular deposit grows by the day. More than 2 million tons of waste is currently accumulating in the suburb of Jdeideh.

Tons of waste changed the landscape of Beirut's Jdeideh suburb

The “garbage river, ” as it has been called, poses risks to groundwater that feeds real rivers in the Lebanese capital. If this happens, the water supply will be severely compromised. Many people are burning their own trash, but the toxic fumes compromise their health - so much so that their breathing problems have increased by 25%.

A British company offered to take the waste to landfills in Russia, but the documentation was not ready, leaving the proposal to the flies. According to residents, the smell is unbearable, but it should get worse when summer arrives in the Northern Hemisphere in June. The case recalls the dire situation facing China, which we reported here at the Mega at the end of last year.

***

Check out the "garbage river" that threatens public health in Lebanon. Comment on the Mega Curious Forum