Al-Ghabawi Landfill in Jordan: Progress and Challenges

Every day, 4,000 tons of waste, mostly municipal solid waste (MSW), is transported to Jordan’s largest and most modern landfill, Al-Ghabawi. Situated in a semi-arid desert area 40 km from Amman, the site encompasses a 2000 km2 area of land unsuitable for cultivation  with the nearest residential area 7 km away. Most of the waste  originates from Amman, with smaller quantities coming from Russeifa and Zarqa, collectively accounting for 50% of the country’s total waste. Specialized steel-wheeled tractors drive over  the waste heaps, compacting the material and removing oxygen, which subsequently  facilitates anaerobic decomposition. Of the nine landfill’s cells, cells … Continue reading

Solid Waste Management in Jordan

Jordan is an emerging and stable economy in the Middle East. The growing industrialization and high population growth rate has led to rapid increase in solid waste generation in the country which has, in turn, put increasing pressure in waste management infrastructure. Around 2 million tons of municipal waste is generated in Jordan each year with most of it diverted to unsanitary landfills and dumpsites. Improper solid waste disposal is leading to public health risks, adverse environmental impacts as well as socio-economic problems.  Solid Waste Generation The predominant fraction in Jordanian MSW is organic matter which makes up as much as … Continue reading