Introduction

A.      Introduction

 Solid waste management is one of the major problems in Palestine; this is due to continuous increase of population density, lack of financial resources and lack of skills and experience in solid waste management.

Solid waste produced by Palestinian population in the West Bank amounts to more than 600,000 ton/year. About 67 % of this volume is collected by Joint Service Councils and dumped in different sites, while the remaining 33% is disposed of by residents into unregulated sites, where it is burnt or buried, with heavy consequences on the environment and on public health.

Phases of Solid Waste Management are:

a) Cleaning streets and yards: is under the responsibility of local authorities. Depending of the size of this last, the service is made directly throughout the health sections or through contractors.

 

b) Collecting, transporting and disposal in dumpsites: is under the authority of Joint Service Councils.

c) Treatments of Solid Waste (separation and recycling) still at beginning on local level.

Solid waste management costs are a major component of municipal budgets, typically accounting for about the 33 percent of annual municipal expenditures.

Bethlehem governorate need of reinforcing the capacities of the JSCSWM aiming at improving the environment and SWM in Bethlehem Governorate, and an urgent need to start building the capacities of the Bethlehem JSCSWM through the performance of different activities such as a public awareness campaign which will contribute to the enhancement of the community collaboration with the local authorities; this will increase SWM fees collection which is in many localities doesn’t exceed 20%.

JSCSWM was initially established in 2005 by all the local authorities in Bethlehem Governorate (10 Municipalities, 20 Village Councils and 7 project committees). In 2009 JSCSWM was reactivated and thus started the service in February 2010.

The design and installation of the Website is funded by the Project Strengthen Financial Capacities of Bethlehem JSCSWM and Public Awareness and Community Participation Campaign (BET SW 003.09) , this project has the following specific objectives:

1. Obtain the public participation through an increase in the awareness level of local population over environmental and sanitary risks deriving from improper waste management, making them involved in solid waste problem resolution. Rise of the share of resident population keen to pay for SWM services.

2. The main activities of the project are Capacity building for Bethlehem JSCSWM and Development of a Public Awareness and Community Participation Campaign.

B.      The Joint Service Council for Solid Waste Management of Bethlehem Governorate (JSCSWM)

The Joint Services council for Solid Waste Management (JSCSWM) was created on 15/08/2005 and encompassed 37 municipal, village councils and project committees in Bethlehem Governorate, the creation of the JSCSWM was based on e Article (14) of the Joint Services Councils adopted and promulgated under Article (2) and Article (15) of the Code of Palestinian Local Authorities (1) for the year 1997.

In 2009, the JSCSWM received ten solid waste vehicles from the Japanese government as a grant, and four solid waste vehicles, 225 garbage containers of 1100 liter capacity and 17 container of 4300 liters capacity from the European Union grant.

The JSCSWM is working in close cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Local Government, donor countries, particularly with Italian Cooperation, and cooperating with other Joint Service Councils which are providing similar services in the West Bank.