LEBANON - Environmental authorities in Lebanon are sounding the alarm over a severe pollution crisis in the Ghozayel River, a tributary of the Litani River.

Large quantities of discarded household appliances, especially refrigerators, have been dumped into the waterway by illegal and unregulated recyclers, the Litani National Office reported. 

Officials say traders buy old refrigerators and other large appliances, strip them for parts, then throw the leftover plastic and metal waste directly into the river without any safeguards.

Refrigerators contain cooling oils, insulating gases and foams that can be dangerous if released into the environment.

Heavy metals and volatile chemicals from this waste now pollute the soil, waterways and groundwater, potentially entering crops irrigated with contaminated water and harming local biodiversity. 

The Litani Water Authority called the dumping a clear violation of Lebanon’s environmental laws on hazardous and industrial waste and pledged to hold polluters accountable.

Legal action is being prepared not only against those directly responsible for dumping the waste but also potentially against the industries that manufactured the appliances, which are legally obligated to manage the disposal of their products. 

This incident is not isolated: the Litani basin has long suffered from persistent pollution caused by both industrial and municipal waste, posing ongoing risks to public health, farming, and the region’s already strained water resources.