The Civil Administration

International Organizations Branch

Projects Department
May 2011
Progress Report on the Solid Waste Disposal Sector
From the Desk of Lt. Col. Avi Shalev, Head of the International Organizations Branch

The Civil Administration is proactively prompting
and promoting solutions for solid waste challenges
in the West Bank. The Civil Administration is engaging
the regional and international communities in the effort
to promote two new modern solid waste sites that will
serve the Palestinian communities in the region.
Growing population means a growing need for
waste disposal solutions, which has resulted in the
emergence of dozens of small illegal dumpsites in
the central and southern parts of the West Bank.
These illegal dumpsites lack modern facilities such as re-
cycling and often contain hazardous waste (such as medi-
cal, toxic or industrial waste), which need to be treated
separately in specialized facilities, which are currently un-
available in the West Bank. Illegal dumpsites pose serious
threats to the environment and to human health through
contamination of the mountain aquifer with poisonous
leachate and through air pollution.

These illegal sites also often attract waste pickers, many

of whom are children who hunt for metals in unsafe and
unacceptable conditions.

An illegal dumpsite in the Jenin District prior to rehabilitation. 2005.

Currently, there are three approved, professionally-run

solid waste sites in the West Bank: the Zaharat Finjan site
– a World Bank financed project serving communities in
the North, the Abu-Dis landfill serving communities in
the Bethlehem and the Jerusalem periphery and the Tov-
lan landfill situated in the Jordan valley.
Palestinian children rummaging garbage at Yatta Dump Site (Hebron
District).

Solid Waste Sector Responses

Project District Location Status

El-Minya Solid Bethlehem Area C Master Plan Approved by the Civil Administration in March
Waste Site 2011.
Ramun Solid Ramallah Area C KFW and the Ramallah Joint Services Council expected to
Waste Site submit master plan for approval in June 2011.
Zahrat Al-Finjan Jenin Area B/C Promoted by the World Bank. Successfully operated since
Solid Waste Site 2008. Chosen by the World Bank as the most successful
infrastrucure project in the region 2000-2009.
 The Civil Administration
International Organizations Branch
Projects Department
To treat these issues, the Civil Administration is
actively engaged in the promotion of two large new
sites with all the modern facilities in the south and
central parts of the West Bank.

Southern West Bank – El Minya Site.

The Civil Administration changes course to com-
bine forces with World Bank and Palestinian lo-
cal authorities. The Southern West Bank Solid waste
site (El Minya) was first proposed to the Civil Admin-
istration by the World Bank in 2007, in response to the
growing needs of the Bethlehem and Hebron districts.
At the time, the Civil Administration was engaged in an Installation of the sanitary HDPE lining at Zahrat al Finjan.
effort to promote a small solid waste site in the Tarku- Jenin District.
miya locale (Area C) and was already at the stage of ten-
dering the project for design. Upon analysis, the World
Bank’s vision for a large-scale site that would serve the
entire Southern West Bank region was found to be more
beneficial and efficient, so the Civil Administration
halted its original plan in order to fully commit to
the World Bank proposal.

Procedural Steps towards the completion of the El-

Minya project
✓ February 2008: The World Bank team and the He-
bron and Bethlehem Joint Services Council together
submit a feasibility study to the Civil Administration
in order to determine the best location for the site.
✓ The Civil Administration examines fifteen potential The approved location of the El-Minya Solid Waste Site.
sites as options. Bethlehem District.
✓ November 2008: The World Bank recommended

Approved master plan for the al-Minya solid waste disposal site in the Bethlehem district. Features of this waste management facility in-
clude daily capping with soil, a ground water monitoring well, gas and leachate collection systems, and compost and recycling centers.
 The Civil Administration
International Organizations Branch
Projects Department
site is approved by Civil Administration which commits centers, gas-collecting facilities, and several groundwater-
to expediting the statutory procedures for a building monitoring wells.
permit.
✓ November 2009: A Master Plan for the Southern solid The project also includes the closure and rehabilita-
waste site (El Minya) is submitted to the Civil Admin- tion of more than 15 illegal dump sites operating in
istration Sub-Committee for Environmental Affairs for the Hebron and Bethlehem districts including the
approval. infamous Yatta Dump Site.
✓ May 22, 2010: A notice is published in the Palestinian
and Israeli press.
✓ Special hearings take place to discuss 15 separate
public objections (see diagram below).
✓ January 2011: The plans are approved by the Civil
Administration Sub-Committee for Environmental Af-
fairs.
✓ March 2011: The approved master plan for the El-
Minya Solid Waste Site receives full statutory standing.
✓ May-June 2011: Expected timeframe for the issuance
of building permits for the site and for the access road.
✓ June 2011: Ground breaking operations and
construction expected to begin.

Site details and facilities:

Once built, the El-Minya solid waste site will serve
more than 700,000 Palestinian residents in the He-
bron and Bethlehem districts. This modern and advanced
solid waste facility is fully fenced and includes an on-site
administration building, a weighing scale and access con-
trol center, a leachate collection pond with a high density
polyethylene (HDPE) liner, composting and recycling
Civil Administration and German Development Bank representa-
tives discussing the EIA for the Ramun Landfill. December 2009.
Central West Bank – Ramun Site
The Ramallah District is in need of a modern solid
waste facility. In 1999 the Civil Administration fully ap-
proved a master plan for a solid waste site in the Ramal-
lah district near the village of Dir-Dubwan. Following the
handover of the area to the Palestinian Authority, the plan
to develop the site was not promoted further by the Pal-
estinians. Nevertheless, in 2003 a similar initiative to pro-
mote a solid waste site for the region was promoted by the
German Development Bank – KFW a few kilometres East
of the previously approved site.

The Civil Administration responded with its ap-

proval and support for this new KFW proposed
solid waste site in a location close to the village of
Ramun (Ramallah District) in 2005.

Like the El Minya Solid Waste Site, the Ramun Site will
benefit from all the modern facilities, and will serve the
Civil Administration, World Bank, and Hebron Joint Services Coun- entire Ramallah district. It will enable the closing or reha-
cil representatives discussing the EIA for the El-Minya Landfill. April bilitation of numerous illegal solid waste sites in the area,
2009.
of which El-Bireh is particularly infamous for its foul smell
For more information about Zahrat Al-Finjan please refer to the video and dark smoke.
from the World Bank @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZK9gvx8xlc
 The Civil Administration
International Organizations Branch
Projects Department
Procedural Steps towards the completion of the Ramun Project:
✓ November 2009: The KFW Development Bank and the Ramallah Joint Services Council together submit a feasibility
study and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report to the Civil Administration for review.
✓ May 2010: EIA are returned with comments from the Civil Administration.
✓ Dialogue has ensued between the promoters of the plan and the staff of the Civil Administration Planning and Envi-
ronmental Departments during the second half of 2010 with the purpose of concluding technical matters relating to the
planned site and access road.
✓ June 2011: The project is scheduled to be presented to the Civil Administration Sub-Committee for Environmental
Affairs. The planned hearing of the Environmental Committee will commence the statutory proceedings necessary to
promote a master plan and building permits for the site.

Procedure for the Approval of a Waste Disposal Site

First request for project approval is submitted by the initiator

Civil Administration Staffwork and checks

Conditional approval Request rejected due to incomplete documentation

Submitting plans and surveys to the Sub-Committee for Environmental Affairs

A hearing is held by Sub-Committee for Environmental Affairs to discuss documentation presented

The initiator receives the version that can be published in the Israeli and Palestinian press for sixty days

A hearing is held by the sub-committee to discuss the public objections to the project

Objections from the public rejected Objections from the public accepted

Project plans amended

Plans republished in the press in the

case of major changes

A hearing held at the Sub-Committee for Environmental Affairs to present the amended plans

A second public notice is published in the Israeli and Palestinian Press for fifteen days

Masterplan for solid waste site receives statutory standing

Planning deparment commences staffwork on the issuance of a building permit

Building permit issued by the planning department