TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE DAY

AFTER:
MANAGING DEMOLITION RUBBLE IN THE
AFTERMATH OF THE 2024 LEBANON
CONFLICT
Authors:
ANTOINE KALLAB | AYA KASKAS

POLICY BRIEF - NOVEMBER 2024

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 COVER PAGE PICTURE
©Planet Labs PBC

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge the help of Dr. Issam Srour, Professor in the AUB Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering and Director of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Hub for Digital Teaching and Learning at the
American University of Beirut, for the technical support he provided during the drafting of this policy brief.

PREFERRED CITATION
Kallab, A., & Kaskas, A., (2024, November). Towards a sustainable day after: managing demolition rubble in the
aftermath of the 2024 lebanon conflict. AUB Nature Conservation Center.

DISCLAIMER
The views expressed are those of the authors and may not reflect those of the American University of Beirut -
Nature Conservation Center. The information is based on the best available knowledge at the time of publication,
and the brief is produced as a preliminary guide for immediate interventions. Further research and reports are
necessary for a holistic picture of relevant challenges and appropriate solutions.

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 INTRODUCTION

As of November 7, 2024, the war in Lebanon has resulted in 3,102 deaths, 13,819 injuries, and the displacement
of more than 1.3 million people. Implications from these attacks should be addressed critically and in a timely
manner to facilitate the post-war recovery transition. The destruction of physical infrastructure alone is valued at
a minimum of $3.4 billion, with the conflict’s overall economic losses estimated at $5.1 billion.

Reconstruction after destructive events offers countries an opportunity to open markets for national
industries across development, humanitarian, and corporate sectors. However, post-disaster recovery in
Lebanon faces challenges such as weak governance, lack of coordination among actors, fragmented data,
and conflicting external funding agendas. Furthermore, environmental concerns and the absence of a
sustainable holistic approach, continue to generate disparities and inefficiencies in reconstruction efforts.

This brief offers key insights on the critical issue of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) resulting from the
ongoing war, emphasizing its environmental, economic, and social dimensions. It provides actionable strategies
and policy recommendations for sustainable CDW management in Lebanon, drawing on past lessons, current
challenges, and innovative solutions. It is intended for policymakers, international and national stakeholders,
private and public sector leaders, and community advocates.

BACKGROUND

Sporadic attacks against Lebanon escalated into a full-scale war in 2024, becoming one of the most intense
episodes of violence episodes since 2006. Initially limited to southern border towns, the conflict spread to a
much broader geographical area, including all of Southern Lebanon, Nabatiyeh, Baalbek, the Bekaa region, and
Dahiye (the southern suburbs of Beirut) with scattered attacks taking place all over the country.

Throughout the past decade, the country increasingly struggled with unsustainable solid waste management
which continues to prove to be economically inefficient and harmful to the natural ecosystems. One example is
the infamous “river of trash” crisis in 2015, which highlighted the severe consequences of failures in this sector.
A study estimated that the cost of environmental degradation due to poor solid waste management amounted to
$66.5 million annually. This crisis, compounded by subsequent events like the 2019–2020 economic collapse,
inflation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, underscored the importance of reforms.
Given the landscape of diverse and mumerous actors, it became evident that the country needs policies to
guide developmental initiatives, through robust plans that ensure accountability. The CDW challenge further
complicates environmental management in Lebanon.

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Picture source: Bilal Kashmar
 WHAT IS CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE?
Construction and Demolition Waste includes materials made up of the debris generated from activities related to
the construction, renovation, and demolition of structures. It can also be generated due to natural disasters and
war. It is divided into two main categories:

• Inert waste: mainly hard heavy bulky items, chemically stable and does not chemically or biologically
transform: masonry, concrete, cement, aggregates, tiles, ceramics, stone, sand and rubble.

• Non-inert waste: chemically or biologically active, or release pollutants over time: wood, gypsum drywall,
metals, plastics, glass, asphalt

Both categories can contain hazardous materials, such as paint, asbestos, heavy metals, unexploded ordnance,
acids, electronic waste and other unknown substances, which pose a serious health risk at the individual and
public levels. As a result, CDW presents a wide range of threats across various aspects of livelihood. Public health
is primarily at risk due to communities’ exposure to toxins and injuries from hazardous waste. Environmentally,
illegal dumping contributes to significant contamination and pollution. Socially, untreated CDW exacerbates
living conditions and contributes to visual pollution, affecting community well-being. Economically, the long-term
costs of cleanup and environmental remediation, along with increased health insurance expenditures, place a
heavy burden on both the public and private sectors. Legally, non-compliance with international treaties and
regulations, especially concerning illegal dumping and cross-border waste issues, poses serious challenges.

CONCRETE MASONRY
UNITS (CMU)
26%

DRYWALL AND GYPSUM

>1% CEMENT, CONCRETE
AND AGGREGATES
58%

SOIL, ASPHALT, STONE

METALS
AND SEDIMENTS
4%
10%
CONSTRUCTION AND
DEMOLITION WASTE
(CDW)

PLASTICS WOOD
>1% >1%

GLASS
>1%
5
Example of possible composition of construction and demolition waste (Srour et al, 2013)
Background Picture Source: Planet Labs PBC
 CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 2024
WAR IN LEBANON

ESTIMATES AND GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT

As of November 2024, preliminary estimates of CDW range between 50 to 100 million tons, covering a wide
geographical area, including South Lebanon, Dahiye (Southern suburb of Beirut), Baalbek, Nabatiyeh and Bekaa.
Historically, CDW management in Lebanon has faced several challenges. The lack of governmental instruments
to supervise, incentivize and regulate CDW management is one of the primary hampers ahead of systematizing
sustainable approaches to CDW, both in times of peace and conflict. This challenge is intertwined with the limited
awareness about the hazards unregulated CDW poses, the possibility of recycling it and the economic potential
of industrializing the process. The absence of an institutionalized approache effectively prevents data collection
and knowledge-production around the topic, which is essential in a continuously evolving actors’ landscape like
Lebanon’s. Over the years, these reasons, amongst others, prevented the country from developing a proper
infrastructure to systematically recycle CDW, effectively contribute to the solid waste management crisis
Lebanon has been struggling with.

Without proper management, the negative environmental impact will translate into severe health consequences.
Hazardous material often found in post-conflict CDW includes asbestos, a carcinogenic material found in older
pipes that can be released into the air as fine particles, leading to severe respiratory illnesses and increased
cancer risks. Lithium from solar batteries, if mishandled, can leach into the soil and groundwater, contaminating
drinking water sources which leads to a variety of serious diseases including reproductive health effects. Heavy
metals from paint, electronic devices, ammunition and appliances can accumulate in the environment, causing
neurotoxic effects and organ damage in humans. Moreover, remnants of white phosphorus shells can cause
burns, respiratory issues, and even death upon exposure.

Million of tons
of rubble
100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

2006 War 2024 War - Lower 2024 War - Higher

Estimates Estimates
Comparison
6 of rubble volumes
Background Picture Source: Planet Labs PBC
 Increased demand on raw
Air pollution due to sand, dust material extraction (quarries),
Increased green house gas and particulate matter from which destorys landscapes that
emissions from landfills which fragmented rubble and CDW contribute to natural heritage and
contributes to climate change dispersed into the atmosphere tourism

Natural habitat destruction and

biodiversity degradation, which
threatens agricultural processes
and food security

Infrastructure damage and Soil contamination and

increased risk of flooding from ecosystem disturbance from
unregulated dumping leaks
Contamination of groundwater
and aquifers from chemical
hazards

Toxin release leading to

damage to aquatic life
and coral reefs

Environmental impact of unmanaged construction and demolition waste

Background image source: Bilal Kashmar

WHAT IS CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE MANAGEMENT?

Successful CDW management requires proactive government policies, comprehensive and clear enforceable
regulations, robust monitoring mechanisms with rewards and penalties, stakeholder collaboration and
comprehensive data systems for tracking waste from generation to disposal. These elements, along with
identifying markets for recycled materials, are essential for Lebanon’s CDW management strategies.

CIRCULARITY AND RECONSTRUCTION

Through a circular approach to CDW management, it is possible to create value from debris by reintroducing
repurposed materials into the production cycle. It would maximize resource utilization and achieve economic
gains. Ultimately, this approach would seamlessly reintegrate repurposed CDW into its original value chain
through construction material, such as masonry blocks for building or aggregates for roads. Non-recyclable
items would be used for quarry rehabilitation to compensate for the damage resulting from extraction in the past
decades. Ecosystem restoration would generate positive externalities through better health, tourism, economics,
social and biodiversity outcomes.

1 2 3 4

Transport to Ultimate
De-mining intermediate recycling
Preliminary in-
and safety sites for processing,
situ sorting
clearance exhaustive and quarry
sorting rehabilitation

Successive steps of CDW recycling process

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 CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN
LEBANON
A closed loop recycling CDW model, where the materials are sorted, cleaned, and repurposed for new
construction or industrial applications, can be conceived and implemented. This approach ensures materials are
fully reclaimed and reused, natural ecosystems are protected, and no unnecessary extraction of aggregates is
conducted. As a result, the country would benefit from positive spillovers in various economic and environmental
sectors, namely tourism, water and agriculture.

Building on lessons from previous conflicts, and factoring for the significant scale of the 2024 war CDW
challenge, closed-loop recycling should be unilaterally adopted by all actors of the day after. Establishing a
closed-loop process must be the first step in the long reconstruction process, in order to prevent this conflict
from generating further environmental degradation beyond any ceasing of hostilities.

It is worth noting that the adoption of this approach will not only promote sustainability but also provide
significant economic benefits. As a matter of fact, a study using geographic information systems (GIS) and an
optimization model shows that transforming abandoned quarries into CDW processing facilities could yield up
to $77 million over 20 years, highlighting the economic viability of the proposed approach. These practices
not only create jobs and stimulate growth, but also provide incentives for contractors to purchase repurposed
reconstruction materials, fostering a more sustainable and circular industry.

COMPARABLE PAST EXPERIENCES WITH CONSTRUCTION AND

DEMOLITION WASTE MANAGEMENT IN LEBANON:
THE 2006 ISRAEL LEBANON WAR

The 2006 Israel Lebanon war resulted in 6 million tons of CDW. The rubble was dumped in the sea
leading to horrific stenches and ecosystem degradation.

THE 2007 NAHR EL BARED CONFLICT

The Nahr El Bared camp conflict in North Lebanon resulted in the destruction of 5,000 houses. UNDP
and UNRWA established a coordinated recycling mechanism that processed a large portion of CDW.
Aggregates were used in road reconstruction, while the metals were fully recovered.

Nevertheless, until the system is officially adopted and implemented by the government, CDW will be processed
informally, leading to severe destruction to natural ecosystems, as well as economic losses. For example,
unregulated disposal of CDW in landfills, which are already at full capacity and unequipped to handle inert
materials, can exacerbate the emissions from these sites and pollute neaby water streams. Sporadic dumping
in natural or urban areas, such as forests, valleys, fresh water bodies, abandoned lots, and even the sea, will
lead to ecological damage, increased flooding from blockages, water contamination and degradation of the
Mediterranean’s marine ecosystems. Finally, it is reasonable to expect partial exporting of CDW, specifically
metallic components, to other countries capable of recycling it. However, unless systematized, the profits from
the export cannot be used to finance sustainable solutions.

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 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND WAY FORWARD
To effectively address the intertwined challenges of security, safety, and sustainability of CDW, a multidisciplinary
approach is required.

I- THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD FORMALLY ADOPT A CLOSED-LOOP RECYCLING APPROACH,

DEVELOP AN INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE MODEL AND COMMUNICATE ITS DECISIONS TO ALL RELEVANT
AUTHORITIES AND STAKEHOLDERS

The Lebanese government needs to send a proactive message of action and fill the current gap with a clear
strategy that can be used to bring on board funding agencies, municipalities and all actors concerned with debris
management and reconstruction. Without this step, local authorities and private owners of damaged properties
will act individually, which will create additional costs and environmental damage. The government should also
intervene to protect citizens from unexploded ordnance and hazardous materials by issuing proper guidelines
and ensuring management capacities are available to those who need them.

This step also requires the appointment of a central coordinator, such as the ministry of the environment, to align
the various activities taking place across the territory, from studies and research projects to field initiatives. The
scope would also include defining rubble ownership mechanisms with the help of legal, social, technical and
municipal experts given that recycling requires economies of scale, and that the size of the problem is at the
national level.

The government should also communicate and enforce regulations to drive the recycling of crushed rubble
into the construction and public works industries, including the imposition of quotas. Recycled material should
adhere to relevant standards, a proper labour force needs to be trained in necessary techniques, and financial
incentives should be provided to private actors supporting the process. Building codes should be updated with
sustainability requirements, including the use of recycled material to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint and
assist with the reuse of war-generated CDW. Simultaneously, strict bans should be enforced on unregulated
CDW dumping, with recovery costs paid by those perpetrating breaches. Accountability frameworks should be
defined from the start, with solid implementation mechanisms.

II - LEVERAGE AID CONDITIONALITY FOR A SUSTAINABLE AND COHERENT OUTCOME

Funding agencies supporting reconstruction and recovery need to integrate sustainability conditions in their
funding requirements. These conditions should jointly be developed with the government and private sectors,
with the help of experts who can provide scientific evidence to guide decisions.

Simultaneously, third-party monitoring mechanisms should be developed to ensure these conditions are being
respected. Independent auditing must be empowered with the appropriate resources, and the results should
be communicated on a regular basis to all stakeholders, including the general public, as a means to promote
accountability and build credibility.

III - ADOPT A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CDW MANAGEMENT, AS SUSTAINABILITY SHOULD BE INCLUSIVE

AND LONG-TERM

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for processes should be conducted using unified frameworks, to
minimize emissions from the transport, storage and recycling process. The results should also be used to protect
vulnerable communities possibly situated next to processing sites from any health hazards.

The closed-loop recycling approach should involve a comprehensive vision for job creation, economic
sustainability and industrial development in partnership with the private sector. The government should leverage
tools such as tax relief and subsidies to incentivize engagement.

Non-recyclable outputs from CDW should be properly processed and employed in environmental restoration
projects. Abandoned quarries should be restored to compensate for decades of unsustainable extraction and
ecosystem destruction.

Heritage experts should be consulted throughout the process, especially when it comes to in-situ and secondary
separation, in order to identify valuable assets and contribute to heritage restoration.

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 IV - GENERATE KNOWLEDGE AND CAPITALIZE ON ENTREPRENEURS

The CDW management and recycling process should be thoroughly documented, for continuous optimization,
furthering of research and integration of lessons in various sectors and contexts with similar challenges.

Reconstruction actors should actively incentivize innovation in the industry, by establishing solid partnerships
with the private sector, academia, entrepreneurial clusters and investors, as a means to create more jobs,
advance technologies, generate opportunities and disseminate knowledge about sustainable CDW management
and reconstruction.

CONCLUSION
The growing volume of CDW presents a severe threat to Lebanon’s natural environment on which communities
depend. The dangers of its mismanagement extend beyond the country’s borders, effectively threatening the
entire Eastern Mediterranean region. Sustainable and holistic interventions, coordinated by the government, are
needed urgently.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
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