Beirut, 19 March 2025 – A field visit was organized today to the Karantina Sorting Facility to assess the progress of rehabilitation works under the project “Beirut Critical Environment Recovery, Restoration, and Waste Management Programme”. This initiative, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and the Beirut Governorate, is funded by the Lebanon Financing Facility (LFF), a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank. The objective of this initiative is to restore the facility’s essential role in Beirut’s waste management system.

Severely damaged during the Beirut Port explosion on August 4, 2020, the facility is on track for full rehabilitation by project closing date planned in October 2025. The visit provided an opportunity for officials to review the ongoing rehabilitation works and discuss the facility’s critical role in Beirut’s waste management infrastructure.

The visit was attended by H.E. Dr. Tamara El Zein, Minister of Environment; Judge Marwan Abboud, Beirut Governor, Ms. Meskerem Brhane, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development  in the MENA region, Mr. Thair Shraideh, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Samy Saadi, Chargé d’Affaires a.i, Delegation of the European Union and Mr. Lukas Frank, Deputy Director, KfW Development Bank.

Once completed, the rehabilitated Karantina Sorting Facility will have the capacity to process 1,250 tons of waste per day, serving both Beirut City and Matn Caza. The rehabilitation works are set for completion by project closing date planned in October 2025, marking a significant milestone in restoring solid waste management services in Beirut.

About the Lebanon Financing Facility (LFF) 

Established in December 2020 in the aftermath of the August 4 Port of Beirut explosion disaster and following the launch of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF), the LFF is a 5 year multi-donor trust fund that pools grant resources and strengthens the coherence and coordination of financing in support of the immediate socio-economic recovery of vulnerable people and businesses impacted by the explosion. To date, the LFF has received contributions and pledges from the governments of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, and Norway and from the EU. Subject to the commitment of all Lebanese stakeholders to critical reforms, the LFF will build the foundation for medium-term recovery and the sustainable reconstruction of the Port of Beirut and affected neighborhoods. 

For more information, please contact: 

In UNDP – Lebanon       | Maryam Sweid‎ | maryam.sweid@undp.org   | +961 ‎(71) 366 212‎ 

About UNDP:

UNDP is working in Lebanon since 1986 as a development partner supporting economic recovery, including working with municipalities to deliver basic services to host communities, promoting clean energy and solid waste management, strengthening governance and rule of law, providing support to elections, and working on empowering women and youth.