Oil spill status after almost one year from the start of the spill:

1.Collected oil still on the beach
A lot of the collected oil is still on the beach, especially in Jiyyeh, Ramlet El Beidah, and Jbeil. The Ministry of Environment is putting the responsibility on the parties that have cleaned the beaches, saying that they have requested from these parties to transport the collected oil and oil-waste to predetermined temporary storage areas, one in the North and one in the South of Lebanon. Some of the parties that have been cleaning the beaches commented that they have not been requested to transport the collected oil and oil-waste to the temporary storage areas. On the contrary, the Ministry of Environment have been preventing these parties from doing so, by not providing them with the required permissions, or by indicating that the Ministry will transport the collected oil and oil-waste to the storage areas. This issue is considered as high priority by several organizations and institutes. The oil that is gathered in bags, plastic drums and piles, still poses a lot of threat for public health and marine environment. Some of this oil is exposed and children can easily access them. Some of the oil has already seeped back into the environment due to improper storage.

2.Oil pebbles appearing on beaches
Cleanup operations stopped two months ago (May ’07) due to lack of funds, but even in the cleaned areas oil is showing up in the form of sand pebbles. These pebbles resemble regular rocks on the beach, and people might unintentionally step on them and contaminate themselves with oil. The solution required is regular monitoring of Lebanese shore, and whenever such pebbles are found to be collected and stored in safe storage areas for final disposal.

3.Required precautions for public
It is summer season now in Lebanon and everyone is going to the beach. That is all right as long as we take certain precautions.
a. If you see, feel or smell something different in the water or on sand stay away from the area
b. If you accidentally step on or touch oil then clean yourself with vegetable oil and not gasoline or kerosene
c. If you find an area that is heavily contaminated with oil, please, inform us directly using our contact details

4.Another oil spill in Aakkar
The impacts of last year’s oil spill are clearly still visible. But if you are walking on the beach North of Nahr El Bared refugee camp (although we don’t recommend it due to the clashes between the Army and Fateh Al Islam), you will see fresh oil on the beach due to a new oil spill that happened in June ‘07. This spill is not as serious as the oil spill from last year, but it did affect few kilometers of Aakkar’s coastline. The source of the spill is not known yet, but most probably it is the result of the clashes in Nahr El Bared. The coast that has been affected directly faces the Nahr El Bared camp, and the type of fuel is light, which means it is most probably fuel used for electricity generation inside the camp. It is difficult to obtain more information on this oil spill due to the dangerous situation in the area. Our team was able to do preliminary examination and take some photos only.