EU, Germany launch waste management programme in refugee camps, host communities

AMMAN — The EU and Germany are launching a new programme to support solid waste management in Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps, as well as in neighbouring host communities, according to a statement from German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

This is a multi-donor programme with a contribution of 39 million euros from the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (EUTF Syria), and additional six million euros funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the statement said. 

The BMZ has been funding solid waste management activities since 2015. The new programme is implemented by GIZ and various partners on the ground. It allows for the continuation of the support to the Jordanian government in collecting, sorting and processing waste and recyclables, read the statement.

Waste management is among the most essential tasks to maintain infrastructure during a crisis, and most of the activities such as litter picking, garbage collection and disposal services were also carried out during the lockdown, according to the statement.   

Oxfam, a partner of GIZ, runs two sorting facilities at Zaatari refugee camp, which were born out of a “successful” 2015 pilot project, commissioned by the EU and Germany. 

Solely by recycling cardboard, metal and plastic, a 10 per cent reduction of solid waste in landfills was achieved, the statement noted. 

Precautionary measures were implemented to avoid the spread of COVID-19, and all staff were provided with personal protective equipment, the statement said.

“These new operational procedures rendered the work environment as safe as possible, including through social distancing during all stages,” read the statement. 

Similar activities are implemented by World Vision, another partner of GIZ, in Azraq camp, where around 70 tonnes of recyclables were collected during the lockdown from mid-March until the end of June.

“The idea of these sorting stations is to implement waste segregation at household level. We focus on an integrated waste management system in the camp by targeting waste collection of residual waste, sorting of recyclables, composting and treatment of the sludge from the water treatment plant to produce clean energy,” said Ralf Senzel, head of the Solid Waste Management Portfolio at GIZ, in the statement.

Moreover, waste sorting also creates temporary employment and provides knowledge and practice for sustainable waste management for men and women. 

Yasmin, a widow and mother of 10 and one of the first women to work in Oxfam’s recycling facilities in Zaatari camp recalled: “At the beginning, it was difficult for me to take the responsibilities and the roles of men; but now, I have my own job and I make my own decisions. This makes me feel that there’s equality between men and women — we’re working exactly the same as men.”

In total, 11,500 camp inhabitants have already been employed since mid-2016, including 32 per cent women, concluded the statement.