Assessing Two Sanitary Landfills in the West Bank of Palestine: Current Situation and Future Obstacles

The proper disposal of solid waste entails existence of sanitary landfills. This study aims to assess the reality of two main sanitary landfills in the West Bank of Palestine. Literature review, visits, and onsite evaluation has been conducted to the two sanitary landfills in Palestine. In addition, there were interviews with key persons in the joint services councils for solid waste, responsible for managing these landfills, as well other officials in the relevant institutions. The reality of sanitary landfills management, challenges faced, and impacts on public health and the environment need to be understood, especially in the light of unstable political conditions and difficult economic situation. Presently, the two main sanitary landfills exist in the West Bank are Zahret Al-Finjan landfill in Jenin, and Al-Minyah landfill in Bethlehem. The increasing generation of solid waste in the study area shortens life span of the landfill and therefore threatens the environment. Strategic planners and decision makers must work on establishing new sanitary landfill sites or extending existing ones with new cells. The results confirmed that the two main sanitary landfills in the West Bank face many technical problems including the absence of gas collection, leachate treatment, and odor control systems. These problems led to negative impacts on the neighboring population, agricultural lands, water resources, and air quality, especially after landfill burning from time to time. Policy and decision makers have to implement immediate interventions for a proper management and disposal of solid waste system and protection of human health and the environment of Palestine.