Está en la página 1de 2

The selected subject is the solid waste management crisis that has started in Lebanon in

2015.

The crisis was triggered upon the conclusion of the contract with Sukleen without any
alternative plans and along with the closure of Naameh landfill. Moreover, this event was
accompanied by a civil movement that stood against the government accusing it with
mismanagement and lack of responsibility towards Lebanese residents. The affected parties
in this crisis are:

- Hospitals: lack of sustainable waste solution


- Residents: health and environmental issues, change of habits (recycling)
- Ministry and the governmental body: reputation, protests
- Municipalities: role in managing the waste
- Media: provide coverage and raise awareness
- NGOs and activists: raise awareness and propose solution (Arcenceil)
- Potential contractors: opportunity to be awarded a new contract
- Insurance: financial troubles or opportunities

We are going to assess the crisis from the point of view of a hospital. Municipalities are
gathering hospitals garbage, but this is being done in an unorganized way, resulting in the
garbage piling up at the hospital entrance for days. As for the medical waste, hospitals are
collecting it within specialized refrigerators, and they are then collected by Arcenciel, which
then sorts the waste as its contract dictates. However, as the garbage crisis drags on,
Arcenciel, a non-governmental organization, may no longer be able to safely store the
waste. The lack of sanitary landfills has forced Arcenciel to resort to a process whereby it
sterilizes and stores the waste. Yet, some municipalities informed Arcencial that they
wouldnt accept any medical waste coming from other territories.

How much is at risk? Where are the risks?

- Patients and employees: health problem as garbage are piling up at the hospital
entrances for days
- Reputation: Their image will be negatively affected
- Nature: environmental impact caused by the crisis
- Financial situation: decline in their income as patients coming from Gulf and Arab
world would look for alternatives abroad

What is the leaders ability to influence?

Hospital may be able to propose solutions on decreasing or managing the waste they are
producing even if they have no control over the nation-wide waste management problem.
The only option hospitals have is to find their own temporary solution until a nationwide
strategy is implemented to resolve this issue. Hospitals could either collaborate with an
organization that is able to recycle their waste or destruct it in an environmental friendly
manner, or buy their own technology to do so.

The crisis has escalated; it started as a simple waste management problem to become a
nationwide anger against the governmental system as a whole. Hospitals were highly
criticized for not considering peoples health and throwing their toxic wastes in the streets.

Since the crisis has escalated for a while now, it did foster outside attention as international
media and organizations shed the light on the possible danger of such a crisis.

The crisis may not stop hospitals daily operations but it is definitely complicating them as
accumulation of waste inside the hospital or around it is impossible. Moreover, it will cost the
hospital an important amount of money to treat their waste without support from the
government or municipalities, but this cost might be less important that having any other
that may occur due to the accumulation of toxic waste with no treatment.

También podría gustarte