Amman municipality working to clear garbage after blizzard

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is operating at full force to collect garbage and broken branches after the weekend snowstorm impeded the work of sanitation workers, a municipality official said on Sunday.

Sanitation workers collected over 6,000 tonnes of household waste on Saturday and Sunday, according to Emad Dmour, GAM’s districts and environment executive director, who noted that an average of 2,900-3,000 tonnes of garbage is being collected every day following the snowstorm.

“Garbage collection on Thursday evening and Friday was not entirely possible because of the snow accumulation. In addition, ice formation at night compelled the municipality to suspend part of its sanitation activities for the safety of our workers as well as vehicles,” Dmour told The Jordan Times.

During this time of the year, garbage trucks normally deal with a daily load of 2,400-2,500 tonnes and 2,200 tonnes on weekends, he said, noting that waste generation increased during the blizzard because people were housebound for three days.

“All the accumulated garbage during the snowstorm is expected to be collected by Monday morning,” Dmour highlighted.

Following collection, garbage is taken to a station in east Amman before being transported in large containers to the Ghabawi Landfill, where it is buried.

Situated some 25 kilometres east of Amman, the Ghabawi Landfill serves the capital and the central region.

The 3,000-square-metre landfill has the capacity to handle 2,500 tonnes of garbage per day.