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The European Dump, Morocco: Environmental crisis or economical success ? |
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The Moroccan ministry has declared that it will stop importing garbage from Italy which is used as fuel in cement factories in Morocco after this phenomenon has gained the attention of civil activists and resulted in fierce disagreements in social media. Moustapha Alkhalfi, the minister of communications and the government spokesman, said that "stoping the use of the imported garbage is a disputable matter at the moment... waiting for the investigation to complete to take a final decision about it". He added that " the government is studying the decision of stoping the importation of garbage from any country". The Moroccan government letting cement factories to import 2500 tons of garbage from Italy has caused a big dispute in the political and civil space as well as in the social media. It has also ended up with the minister of environment being charged for turning Morocco into an European dump and hazarding the wellbeing of Moroccan citizens. The government has assigned to the ministry of the interior starting an investigation regarding the foreign importations of garbage that have been described by the oppositions, which favor the notion of stoping the importations, as the biggest governmental scandal of all times and also as the environmental terrorism. However, the minister of the interior Mohammed Hassad has announced that the imported garbage is harmless and under rigorous supervision in the seaports to make sure it conforms to the international criteria. On the same hand, the minister Hakima Elhitti, who is responsible for the environment, has confirmed that the imported garbage is again harmless and is used as an alternative energy and that Morocco imports 450 000 tons of the treated waste annually. She added that the imported materials from Italy are not literally waste, but fuel that is extracted from paper, clothes, wood and "plastic". Paradoxically, the government has banned the use of plastic bags in Morocco, but still imports garbage is form of plastic abroad. In short, Environment is an asset that is valued and protected worldwide, but has become a victim of political imprudence in Morocco. |
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10 Comments
I think importing to use as fuel isn't bad at all. Thanks for sharing
Posted 22-10-2016 03:41
I think this is the problem that every country is facing, dont you agree?
Posted 13-10-2016 02:56
Thanks for sharing, Youness! I personally do not stand for waste exports and imports, since it looks like justifying ways for richer countries not to interfere in environmental problems, though they are mainly the ones who emit the most. However, if imported garbage can contribute in some way without any harm, I guess it may not be such a bad idea.
Posted 12-10-2016 18:07
Thanks Youness! If and only if the government announcement can be trusted that nothing is harmful and that it could be used as resources, I don't think it's such a bad idea. A Scandinavian country, i forgot which one it is, also imports a huge amount of garbage from other parts of Europe to generate electricity without too much pollution thanks to technology. If the right procedures were rightfully observed and with the capacity to harmlessly transfer the garbage to energy, that would not be such a bad idea. Thanks for sharing!
Posted 12-10-2016 12:43
Sad to see political infringement in such matter as well. I just really hope it doesn't become another development agenda, poverty alleviation like issue where everyone promise but does nothing.
Arushi, you have spoken out of my mouth. Agree with what you are saying
Posted 12-10-2016 10:28
Same problem in Togo .. If only we know how to convert them..
Thanks for sharing
Posted 11-10-2016 05:13
It's indeed sad that issues like these become point of political dispute. Each country's carbon footprint adds to other country's and this way together it forms the global footprint. If Italy or for that matter any nation has waste which is harmless, Morocco should not have any problem to import it, recycle/reuse as fuel in cement factories -It is a win-win situation for Morocco and Italy and sets good example of global co-operation in the best interest of environment.
Even if the garbage from Italy is harmful, Italy can be advised to treat the waste before exporting to Morocco and Morocco to further import in strict supervision with health & safety precautions so as to avoid causing any damage to human health in Morocco. If authorities/decision makers/politicians sit together with a positive mindset, they can work out a win-win solution but their aim is to make mountain our of molehill or criticise anything done by other party just for the sake of objecting. This politics itself is so harmful.
Thanks for sharing.
Posted 10-10-2016 21:01
plastic bags is a challenge to environment because they do not decompose,my country Tanzania decided to introduce plastic pollution tax on every single plastic bag.
Posted 10-10-2016 16:37
Dear youness
Every waste can be recycled and use again if only we know how ,rather than it will be harmful
The truth is we are victims of political system that care only about many ignoring the source
Posted 10-10-2016 09:47
The same problem exists here in Korea also. But it's surprising that the imported garbage was confirmed harmless. Thank you for sharing.
Would you revise the image attached? : ) It doesn't show on the post.
Posted 10-10-2016 09:06