As part of the “Reviving the Upper Litani River and Qaraoun Lake” project funded by DIMFE, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) has launched a new practical measure to improve waste management practices across the West Bekaa. In a significant step toward source-level pollution reduction, SPNL has distributed dedicated waste cooking oil collection barrels to ten municipalities: Saghbine, Kefraya, Joub Jannine, Ain Zebdeh, Kherbet Qanafar, Qaraoun, Mansoura, Lala, Aana, and Beb Mareh.
This intervention supports local authorities in shifting toward cleaner, safer, and more sustainable disposal methods. It directly addresses one of the most overlooked causes of environmental and infrastructural degradation: the improper disposal of used cooking oil. When discharged into nature or poured into municipal sewage networks, waste oil not only clogs wastewater systems, but also contributes to widespread contamination downstream within the Litani Basin, affecting biodiversity, agriculture, and local livelihoods.
The distribution builds on an awareness session held last month at the Homat Al Hima International Center (HHIC), where representatives from participating municipalities examined the environmental risks associated with mismanaging used cooking oil and discussed practical mechanisms for collection and recycling. During the session, municipalities expressed strong interest in adopting improved waste practices and emphasized the importance of establishing a coordinated system that connects them with certified buyers to ensure the safe handling, reuse, or recycling of collected oil.
By supporting municipalities with both the tools and the knowledge required for responsible waste management, SPNL is helping lay the groundwork for long-term environmental recovery. This initiative represents a meaningful step in protecting the Litani River—Lebanon’s most vital freshwater artery—and in fostering a broader culture of environmental stewardship across the West Bekaa.
SPNL remains committed to working closely with local communities, authorities, and national partners to restore the Litani River to health and to promote sustainable management of the resources that thousands of people depend on.
