After 15 months of war, Gaza is suffering from a destroyed waste system. As the cleanup begins, the impacts on its people’s health and land will be long felt.
More than a year of conflict has crippled the already limited waste collection infrastructure in Gaza. With access to designated landfills blocked and no transport due to a fuel blockade imposed by Israel, hundreds of thousands of tons of solid waste has piled up in the streets.
Even before the war, Gaza faced severe waste management challenges, generating 1,700 tons of waste daily, with only three operational but overcrowded landfills. One of the sites, Johr Edeek, operated beyond capacity, with waste piling up to 35 meters high, according to a report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
However, despite the strains, a structure was in place, with towns and cities sending waste to the three landfill sites.
Limited resources caused frequent fires and environmental risks. From 2017 to 2022, the number of waste collection vehicles dropped to 73 from 112, with ageing equipment struggling to meet the needs of the growing population. The war has worsened the crisis, destroying waste collection vehicles, facilities, and medical waste treatment centers, leaving municipalities overwhelmed.
Pre-war
The solid waste removal network previously relied on three main landfills, all closed during the latest conflict. (Main cities, Small cities, or towns, Refugee camps)
The distribution of Gaza’s population has also changed dramatically, with over 60% of buildings likely damaged or destroyed, forcing many to relocate closer to humanitarian zones. The closure of the three main landfills by the Israel Defense Forces has also forced local authorities to find temporary dumpsites.
Post-war
At least 225 temporary waste dumps were operating across the Gaza strip, as of May 2024. (Humanitarian Zone, UN designated waste dump, Conflict linked waste dump)
These waste dumps were identified through an analysis of open-source information including satellite imagery, social media posts and official reports. It is suspected that many more such dumps could exist.
The impact of trash piles
The silent threat of accumulated and improperly handled waste is made worse in a conflict zone that is also plagued by high temperatures, destroyed sanitary infrastructure and a population weakened by food scarcity and lack of medical attention.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned of the public health and environmental crisis arising from widespread pollution caused by solid waste in Gaza.
A key issue is the leachate, a polluted liquid that results when water filters through layers of accumulated waste in improperly managed garbage piles, posing a risk when it infiltrates soil and contaminates groundwater.
Types of waste
Biodegradable waste such as paper and textiles can attract pests, emit methane, and cause respiratory illnesses if burned.
Non-biodegradable waste like single-use plastics can break down into microplastics and be inhaled or ingested. Hazardous and toxic waste like batteries, metals and chemicals can leach toxins, bioaccumulate and increase cancer risk. Plastic bottles and containers, Paper and cardboard, Attracting pests, Houseflies, mosquitoes, rats, cockroaches, and fleas spread diseases like malaria, typhoid, and cholera. They contaminate food, water, and air, trigger allergies, and thrive in waste, posing serious health risks.
While cleanup efforts have been attempted at various points throughout the war, recent UNDP research warned that most of these efforts are localised in Gaza’s south, with only 600 to 700 tons of waste collected daily. This barely covers the estimated 2,000 tons of waste generated every day.
Living near rotting trash
Most of Gaza’s displaced people — communities sheltering in refugee camps or makeshift areas — have been forced to live near the piles of rotting garbage. No early relief for their plight is in sight, despite a ceasefire signed by Israel and Hamas in January.
“We can’t sleep, we can’t eat, we can’t drink. The smell is killing us,” said Ahmed Shaloula, originally from Gaza City but now one of many displaced Palestinians living in Khan Younis.
Al-Aqsa University in Khan Younis
Gaza’s oldest educational institution, Al-Aqsa University was first established in 1955, with its first campus in Gaza City. Its second campus, located in Khan Younis, was built in the past decade. It’s this campus that has now become the home of many displaced people, with the campus’ surroundings converted into a makeshift waste field.
The waste dump stretches over 300 metres and is estimated to cover nearly 10,000 square metres.
Disease and ailments
A landfill in a public area in Central Gaza, shown in the video below, has become part of the grim reality for many Palestinians residing nearby.
Abou Mohammed, a Palestinian, who lives about 100-150 meters away from the landfill, says he is worried about the health of his children. “This waste here has brought diseases. Our children are suffering from various ailments that we have never seen before,” he said.
The video shows a landfill in Central Gaza in May 2024.
Youssef Hammad, a municipality worker, also explained that the area was not originally designated for waste disposal. However, the conflict has given them little choice but to dump the waste there.
“The municipality was compelled to urgently dispose of waste in this location due to the inability of municipal crews to access the official dumping grounds … With the onset of the war, we were unable to reach these locations due to the lack of mechanisms of movement (for access) caused by road blockages,” said Hammad.
Hammad also warned of the environmental hazard associated with such landfills. “These include stray dogs, the proliferation of insects, as well as environmental pollution and the degradation of the surrounding environment in this area,” he said.
Abu Mazen Khatab, a displaced man living near the waste dump with his family, including six-month-old daughter, says he worries sewage water will soon seep into his tent. “If we don’t die from the missiles; we will die from the sewage and the bad smells here and the waste.”
Source: reuters
