Welcome to this time and he on the b.b.c. World Service Well this week with talking garbage. And rock hard work on them certainly in a warehouse in the hills of southern Lebanon on an old lady's showing a group of schoolchildren and a teacher how she operates a machine to crush old plastic bottles. Did you learn something today from that. Cycle that. Is 81 years old and moves slowly she's quite frail these days but mention household rubbish and her eyes light up yonder must her arms for fear to Lewisville be how. This is the employed to kill yourself ruling the Lebanese people are more informed than their government and sort of the government leading the people the people are begging the government to help them take care of the garbage issue. You know because become something of a local hero 22 years ago during that is really a completion of southern Lebanon on rubbish collection was severely disrupted so she and her friends set up a recycling scheme for out a plume the village where they live they call it the call of the earth and ever since they've been showing other people how to clean up. And. They are contacting us from all over Lebanon to ask us how we do it so they follow example they come to us and we reach out to them they appreciate it and they really like old work but one of the boys that was throwing the garbage in the open air Yeah yeah. I mean you don't know who died and on this week's assignment I'm reporting from Lebanon my home country and how garbage has become a rallying point for citizens to challenge their government taken it upon themselves to do what the authorities would normally do and trying to resist what they say is a rotten system. Everybody don't lead now they don't suffer from this. That I don't think that that's so then to Europe where would they go there to not you get. This country everyone is on portion of money. Absalom feels quite remote appear in the hills of southern Lebanon with fabulous views of thickly wooded mountains but it's not a backwater about 10000 people live here and what's striking really is that despite that there's no municipality to take care of the rubbish collection to Muslim parties disagreed over an election result and since then local services have been pretty much nonexistent it illustrates the political and sectarian divisions all over Lebanon. Is this you know thus far. From a long tradition is one of the in absolve East colleagues she's also a refuse collector. What was the reaction when people saw you and other women doing this work I give me too much from become famous from fear Libyan Ted in the going and I don't I don't know definitely they have people criticizing them saying collecting garbage and recycling is not their business because back then people believed that women should stay at home and do their work in Saudi but they managed to overcome these critics . Well actually if it is or it does feel a bit weird to me to look at you driving a truck wearing a veil you don't look like a normal garbage collector Yeah I want to laugh my ass and I was a national phenomenon they started doing campaigns they started going to houses and I'm talking to people and telling them that we need to recycle and we need to separate waste. Still wearing her headscarf but now some Plus the gloves to you it is your empties local bins putting the tin cans bottles and huge number of plastic containers into the back of her truck before she and Zainab started doing this all the rubbish was dumped in and around out of saline. All the trouble comes back to the warehouse where it sorted compacted and sent off to various factories to be reused. You're probably a low mom I'm a father actor Konami couple and mushroom but of course if we had more money we could do all this more effectively we are now trying out a basic composting project it's something we could teach young people and really make a difference but we haven't got the resources to offer 821-0000 residents. The children leave Zainab apparently in good spirits for the journey back to Beirut but why they do travel so far to learn about trash well over the last 2 years is trash has become big news 110 yes. 2 years ago the government closed the country's mainland to the side in a stinking rubbish began piling up in the streets angry protests erupted. They closed down a landfill in the light when it had no plan activists as sad the b.n. Led many of the protests with his campaign group you stink the garbage will be dumped on the river bank on forests and parking lots as was horrible I remember the smell of the garbage on the street that smelled of the garbage in the system the the suggestions the rubbish might be dumped in particular areas the issue soon became dangerously divisive Lebanon's a patchwork of 18 religious groups and to keep the peace some of them have reserved positions in high office the prime minister for instance is always a Sunni Muslim the President him are not Christian. This system means any issue can be exploited for sick tarried advantage yet the people as opposed to their leaders were united against the tide of trash. People just came down without any sectarian speech came down to just say enough and we're fed up of the system I couldn't believe my eyes don't like huge numbers of people I know. But the you stink movement is no longer so prominent. As ad now works in a pub and spends less time on the campaign. From July 20. 6th. 24 hours a day who wants $26.00 to. 263 was like 10 hours a day. Like 2 or 3 hours a day. Because. It's not like people there are those among. The people. Why am I telling you all the damage is I don't mind. Today the mountains of waste have disappeared from the streets but they haven't gone away for good in reality much of the rubbish has simply been moved to less visible but still inappropriate sites and that leaves many Lebanese thinking their government is entirely dysfunctional with no idea what to do about something as simple as getting rid of the nation's trash. Absolutely disgusting really and that the plastic bags are not proven right where you can see them breaking up you can see the garbage that is not even sort of. Is a lawyer activist and a former presidential candidate she's been taken on the battle against trash and she's brought me to a place was some of that rubbish from 2015 now resides. Gold Coast to Bravo it's a supposedly temporary landfill site right on the coast next to Beirut airport. And what happens when you have a lot of this dirt and trash it brings the birds scavenging for food we have the prices Siegel's coming over the site and threatening the planes. Are not the only driver gave us a. Thank you that is good and. Bad as you pass by these no hits with. So what kind of cash is being buried here well so far as there is no sorting or recycling happening all kind of trash is being very dear like you can see on the spot you have tires you have plastic bags you have cans you have all kinds of fruit 0 you you have in the living example that they are not sorting the trust so no separation at all of any trash of any refuse at all until authorities have been reluctant and have not decided to adopt a national strategy of sorting recycling and composting. When we've just come from the south of Beirut to the north of the city now to another here until it's called the Bush plan through. And if you believe the Government's critics the way story did here is even worse. This is really an all mountain of garbage fired up since the Civil War and there are some dangerous chemical barrels. On the other side of Bush Hammoud there's a fishing port right by the mountain of Russian trash fisherman land the catches or try to because there's now a new bridge Hammoud we're told the trucks are now dumping the old drop ish in the sea. We went out on a boat to see more. Of this week or 10 days ago or the whole city that is in front of us was full of diamonds because the garbage opened up and started spreading all over the water. Maybe they are planning on making some commercial projects this is becoming a custom of taking public land and transforming it into private commercial interests What do you think would they do here eventually kind of for maybe a resort to his hotels the coffee is a result built of rubbish. Interests of course the vi the between the politicians and this has been the trend for decades now it's the same for the garbage it's the same for electricity it's the same for any kind of public utility. Whatever is going on the fisherman say it's you're running they catch this and this is this prevents you from making a living yes that's a good. Some of you some of the toughest Yes elfish there are obvious ones they find office because the water is so much for them to how much are you using you know I mean I have more than a heart that I have a little Many more maybe more maybe more. One of the controversies rage over Lebanon's lan troops Zainab and her friends are changing behavior bit by bit we've come today to village need out up Salim That's the latest to get through cycling planning the magic out or in the foot among the luge in south Lebanon on an island just on t.v. We don't have to think of garbage they put everything together but here we have the helping of Madame's line up and they decide to start the cycle and sorting the garbage just purchased it like that the villagers pay small amount of money from their own pockets to support the project and it ain't a treating out to everyone they are white houses they are teachers they are. From all the jobs and therefore it just trouble all quarter to come any place these ladies insist to be one community to make something useful for the family so we have Christians Muslims or do we have here all the kind of people all the parties all that in the you know the fighting get about the garbage from the leaders themselves not the from the people oh Ok when I was standing next to me and she's listening to all these women I want to know what she's thinking Zainab is this happening more and more are people seeking out and trying to get you to help them do more of this type of project they are cleared on to continue through a lot a lot depending on the school you know she says the priest nobody was interested but now the situation looks different a little very clear very firmly and form all over Lebanon people are doing it for themselves not all our community projects Examiner Some are viable businesses but at least they might be with the right support one of them is based in what was once an. Underground car park in Beirut. It's really really gloomy here actually it looks like a vast long Corydoras made of piles and piles of rubbish waiting to be precise to have plastic glass there's a fan on my left to give a bit of a fresh air to those who are working here and as you continue walking you can see washing machines Tyreese Brooks and a mountain of empty wine bottles. And over here in a little underground clearing there's a group of women wearing the hijab the traditional Islamic dress and sorting through all sorts of records separating into glass plastic and so on. This is recycled Beirut a private company that even manages to offer much needed employment to some of the $1000000.00 plus refugees now living in tiny Lebannon. My neighbors are some doesn't like I'm fond of recycling it was actually like garbage crisis it was somehow an advantage for us because many people they didn't know about what it's recycling they just mix all the garbage together but now we have like about 17 workers and some of them are Syrian and Palestinian because part of the company is a social company So 'd we are trying to help the vulnerable people you know. On the other than all of without this job I wouldn't be able to support myself in Lebanon says this man whose fled the war in Syria and works here sifting broken glass. Recycle Beirut charges its customers $10.00 a month to pick up the rubbish it recycles about 2 tons of garbage a day but has some says he could use so much more if only the authorities putting Gage It's really helpful if we have organized markets for recycling. But unfortunately the government are not involved in the recycling we had. Billions of meetings but at the end of the day we're going to do any initiative if we get the money and the power I'm sure we can solve the garbage crisis and few months you know what you're saying is that you're hoping the government and you're hoping to have a person helping them but they're not helping us. But the government does seem to have a plan for Lebanon's rubbish to close the temporary landfills and allow local authorities to burn garbage even generating electricity as they do so it sounds an ideal solution in theory but in practice it's deeply controversial My name is Joseph Satre I'm assistant professor in chemical engineering at the American University of Beirut we are now standing enjoying near the power plant $607.00 megawatts power plant operating on diesel fuel and as you can see it's a very polluted area there's a blue haze everywhere so already they don't really worry about environmental emissions and pollutions burning waste the much more polluting. They can deal with it with much more user friendly opposers like composting recycling etc. Joseph is part of a group of academics warning against the dangers of incineration he showed us standard documents for a proposed waste to energy plant in Beirut which suggest almost all the trash collected in the capital will be burnt in developed countries they separate the organic material from the waste and then they recycle paly it in the. Cardboard and paper but in the other want to burn everything so they want to burn my lawn bags plastic bags. We don't trust the way they can operate these plants. I've come to. With us Howard the leader of the used think can pay his sticking to the streets again so without the crowds that $1.00 surrounded him in fact today it's just him and a friend with a total of will come with nothing if I'm high and it doesn't hurt but as I think it's all the better his canvassing the public just one person at a time. With a mock ballot box calling for an election that I have that on and for the same people have sat in parliament now for 8 years and they might be around for even more great asking people to cast their virtual photons to the spots asking for no extension of the parliament and Levon on the parliament has extended itself twice and now what they're trying to do is extend their term for a 3rd time most of the Lebanese politicians are were lords most of the Lebanese with little turns are sectarian leaders most of the billions politicians are white all very rich men that are in power for decades now and they need to go home. The parliamentary lobby rather than the Street seems to be what you're seeing is focusing on now but as Todd admits that to some extent the government managed to neutralize his protest movement the old regimes and the old mentality are fighting back they use various pieces they use bribery the use of force and then what do you expect we have a system that is in place because of the trauma and the fear of the Lebanese who live the civil war for 15 years and they're afraid of any incident that will lead to a civil fight again so any numb stability for the village to live in his public will has it take. It's heartbreaking reading the circumstances were different 3 years ago probably was a lot of rubbish of the season. So obviously you'd have more people feeling maybe very angry much more angry. If I said trying to fight. The protest movement like Lebanon czar Bush itself is less visible those still there beneath the surface and in time it might still pose just as much trouble yet the protestors know just how resilient Lebanon's political elite is and often hard to pin down as it was about to find out myself when I went to put some of the things I'd heard about to Lebanon's Environment Minister total hottie Where is the rubbish going now and is it being recycled m b. Yes sort of processed in a place called coral but the coral processing plant is not working no it will soon be working again is undergoing now to increase its capacity to from 400 tonnes to 700 we asked Mr Hotep to confirm that the garbage was being sorted before going into the landfill and that no matter yes he said in principle that's what should be done then return to incineration and ask the minister if trash would be separated all burnt together you've got a. Few feathers you know in principle will be sorted then process or the steps should be taken another concern about burning is actually the pollution that it can create isn't it true that Lebanon's previous history in power generation suggests that incineration isn't going to be that clean. Will this is not an object of judgement Lebannon is importing the best technology to solve the problem and you cannot criticize something that hasn't happened yet. The technology that we are importing is used in countries all over the world and. In the meantime a lot of this rubbish is going to the sea would you would you confirm this information. I don't have any information well we went to Bush and would land for the enemy so tons of rubbish been thrown in the sea Croman group but Crystal Hotep said he'd send someone the very next day to investigate the situation a bush Hammoud and then he drew our meeting to an abrupt close. Yourself personally have the power. No you've cornered me I have to go he said I have a meeting I'll be late we've not heard since about his fact finding mission to push him out however we do know that a judge has ordered the closure of custody of a landfill citing unsorted trash danger to evasion and a black discharge polluting the sea the ministry has not answered our calls and e-mails asking for further clarification. It's almost time for me to leave Lebannon But 1st back in our top Salim I've got an appointment so today we're going to sign up to see the governor to make contact with him. And ask him for some money she never asked for money before because it was made clear there wasn't any money available. The governor has been holding office for more than 2 decades now yet it's around 10 years since Zaineb last met him in person she says the relationship was once difficult but in typical Zane oppression she's quickly improved things over the years and she says she now counts him almost as a front for her home. She brings him presence of chocolates and a calendar featuring her colleagues than me. But are you want to know is there any chance of him financing her expansion the governor's response or permits but no action today this is what I would write. I would walk or. Financial Officer make what. I thought my best. And their kids to have the How about so. Off course that's very good news but the lesson is in the act itself the governor means to hope but will he be able to that's the question he himself doesn't have much money you're being very diplomatic aren't you . As an upset as if everyone does what we did in absolute him there'd be no rubbish problem anywhere 11 on where the crisis 1st began the Lebanese told the authorities you stink Well 2 years on they're saying you still think. But with no confidence in the solutions offered by the government some of them are now learning to hold the noses for themselves. That's all for this edition of assignment and Meenie dollar the producer was my Gallaher and you can hear more stories from assignment by going to b.b.c. World Service dot com forward slash assignment this is the b.b.c. World Service before the news here's what world picks up have been reading the next thing William remembered was being carried on a stretcher Cain and Abel by business will sat Jeffrey Archer you have gained nearly killed on the trail unable or structure back the story of 2 missing ambitious men born on the same day was an