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In Morocco, the decision of the Aziz Akannoush government to import more than 2 million tons of household waste and used tires from European countries has caused controversy. Environmentalists have criticized the move, saying it will turn the kingdom into a “garbage dump.”
A few days ago, Leila Benali, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, revealed in response to a parliamentary question that “about 980,000 tons of domestic waste are imported from France, nearly 31,000 tons from Spain and more than 1 million tons from the United Kingdom, 60,000 tons from Sweden and 100,000 tons from Norway for industrial use.”
This decision has sparked outrage among many organizations, including the Northern Moroccan Environment Assembly. In a press release, the NGO criticized the ministry’s decision, saying it goes against the “civic spirit” and the “Moroccan Constitution, which stipulates that citizens have the right to live in a healthy environment”. The structure also pointed out the contrast between this approach and the national environmental protection law, in line with the model of sustainable and equitable development.
The collective highlighted the negative impact of this waste “on the environment, citizens’ health, air pollution, toxic gases and greenhouse gas emissions (the main cause of climate change), without forgetting radioactive waste, knowing that Morocco’s capacity to recycle household waste does not exceed 10% of local production.
“Burning rubber wheels to generate energy is an environmentally unfriendly method that causes air pollution, as well as the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide,” the structure recalls again.
The debate caused controversy in Parliament
The reverberations of this controversy were invited to Parliament, where the Popular Movement Group demanded an explanation from the minister in charge. Driss Sentissi, the head of the session in the House of Representatives, sent a written question to Leila Benali about the economic viability of importing waste and used tires, knowing the “undoubted consequences for the environment and health”.
These facts are reminiscent of a similar incident that occurred in 2016. That year, the responsible minister, Hakima El Haïté (People’s Movement), under the Benkirane government, recorded the importation of several tons of waste from Italy. This practice caused controversy, and critics even called for the resignation of the manager. Faced with a wave of criticism, the executive then decided to suspend the import of domestic waste “pending clear measures after the investigation is concluded”.
In 2016, the National Independents Rally (RNI), which is led by the current government, took an opposing stance against these imports, calling for an immediate halt to them “in order to preserve the health of citizens and protect their environment”. Over time, the party defended this suspension “based on its values and principles aimed at defending the fundamental right to health and environmental safety”.
In the same context, the Union Socialiste Popular Forces (USFP) parliamentary group in the House of Representatives subsequently proposed a bill to “prevent the import of waste, regardless of its type or hazardousness” and “prohibit its entry into the national territory”.
It should be pointed out that Article 008.28 Article 42 of the Waste Management Measures, issued on August 30, 2012, confirms that “the import of hazardous waste is prohibited”, but the competent authority “may approve” the entry of “hazardous waste from export processing zones”.
At the international level, Basel Convention The 1989 Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Elimination aims to restrict the movement of these dangerous goods. Its more specific goal is to prevent the transfer of hazardous wastes from developed countries to the South.
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