GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Waste collectors and rubbish truck drivers on the Juhr al-Dik landfill, southeast of Gaza Metropolis, resumed Feb. 5 their work regardless of the big variety of scavengers on-site.
The Gaza municipality had introduced Feb. 1 that the spread of scavengers on the landfill pressured the employees to droop their work for a couple of days, refraining from accumulating trash within the streets.
On Jan. 22, authorities medical sources introduced having acquired the physique of a 14-year-old boy, later recognized as Osama Sarsak, who was discovered on the Juhr al-Dik landfill. In line with a forensic report, Sarsak died of suffocation.
Fingers of blame have been pointed on the rubbish truck drivers. In line with the victim’s father, his son was serving to him in accumulating scrap steel on the landfill when he went lacking. After hours of looking, {the teenager} was discovered useless contained in the landfill.
Human rights facilities known as on the authorities to launch an investigation into the incident.
Because of the harsh financial scenario within the Gaza Strip, scavengers search within the piles of waste for supplies that may be recycled and offered, reminiscent of items of plastic, steel, copper and aluminum.
One scavenger, who refused to be named, informed Al-Monitor, “After the incident [of the dead teenager], the municipality banned us from coming into the landfill via its important entrance. Now we’ve got to leap over the partitions, which is dangerous for us.”
“I want cash, and that is why I am going there looking for copper, plastic and iron components. I make round $10 a day from promoting scrap,” he mentioned, including that he’s an vehicle engineering pupil on the Palestine Technical School in Gaza.
He famous that he has been coming to the landfill for over 10 years and has by no means been uncovered to any well being or environmental hazard. He mentioned that different scavengers search for meals leftovers among the many waste.
“We had a tough time when the rubbish vehicles stopped arriving for a couple of days. The rubbish is our solely supply of residing. It was factor that the truck driver had a change of coronary heart and resumed work so we may additionally return to what we do,” he mentioned.
Mohammad Jundiya, 23, informed Al-Monitor that he has been coming to the positioning along with his household since he was simply seven years outdated.
“I help my household from my work on the landfill. I make between $9 and $12 a day,” Jundiya informed Al-Monitor. “I arrive right here at 5 a.m. earlier than the rubbish vehicles, and go away by 5 p.m. They cease working at 3 p.m.,” he mentioned, stressing that the information of the useless teenager affected him deeply.
He famous, “We known as on our colleagues to cease bringing their younger youngsters with them. We don’t want such accidents to occur once more.”
Jundiya added, “When the police got here to arrest us a couple of days in the past on fees of obstructing the work of the rubbish truck drivers, we needed to run towards the Israeli border, bare-chested and white flags in our fingers, so we would not get arrested. A few of my mates have been arrested by the [Gaza police] and others have been severely overwhelmed.”
“I’d relatively run to Israel and never get overwhelmed or arrested right here. We don’t need something from the municipality, simply to allow us to be right here and work,” he mentioned, noting that working at a landfill is extraordinarily hazardous, with many scavengers being injured, however they preserve coming again to supply for his or her households.
One of many retailers who buys scrap from scavengers was additionally on-site on the time of Al-Monitor’s go to.
“I maintain a grasp’s diploma in literary criticism from Ain Shams College and graduated in 2013. I’ve not been capable of finding a job. Now I promote scrap,” he informed Al-Monitor on situation of anonymity. “I purchase steel and plastic scrap in addition to batteries and broken family utensils from scavengers and I promote them,” noting that the iron is offered to pressers and plastic to factories for recycling.
Hosni Mhanna, director of public relations on the Gaza municipality, informed Al-Monitor that the truckers had complained concerning the scavengers standing of their means on the landfill and holding on to the vehicles, which endangers their lives.
“They worry different deaths may happen,” he mentioned. “After the dying of {the teenager}, the police have been in every single place on the landfill, which saved the scavengers at bay. When the investigations have been over, they returned in nice numbers, which obstructed the work of the drivers who tried to speak to them to make means. They even addressed the safety forces, however their intervention is non permanent and doesn’t rise to the extent of the issue.”
“When the safety forces present up on the landfill, you see scavengers operating towards the Israeli border or hiding within the agricultural lands close by. As quickly because the safety forces go away the premises, they arrive again and issues return to regular,” he added.
Mhanna defined that the landfill receives roughly 1,200 tons of waste per day kind three governorates — north Gaza, Deir al-Balah and Gaza governorates — noting that the municipality sympathizes with the scavengers who quantity no more than 200 folks, however raises well being and environmental issues.
“The landfills are a really harmful place,” Mhanna mentioned, noting that the landfill is near the border space and is focused by the Israeli military on occasion.
“They [Israelis] throw bombs typically, which causes fires extending to giant areas,” he mentioned.
“The municipality put ahead a plan to accommodate scavengers and spend money on the method of sorting waste in an orderly and never random method in several neighborhoods and away from the border landfill,” he added, stressing that this plan wants the help of donors.
He mentioned, “Sorting rubbish would price some $30 million, not together with the method of disposing of waste, which may take as much as 12 hours.”
The municipality tried to boost consciousness concerning the risks of rummaging via rubbish, however the scavengers ignored it as they don’t have every other supply of earnings, Mhanna concluded.
