Jerash: The head of the Greater Jerash Municipality Committee, Mohammad Bani Yassin, met on Thursday with a delegation from the European Union, including experts from Spain, Portugal, Egypt, and Jordan, as well as officials from the Ministry of Local Administration and relevant municipal departments, to discuss solid waste management challenges and ways to enhance operational efficiency.
According to Jordan News Agency, the meeting focused on the solid waste management sector in Jerash Municipality, addressing operational and environmental challenges, and exploring mechanisms to improve and upgrade service delivery systems. Bani Yassin highlighted the complex challenges faced by the municipality due to its large geographical area, increasing population density, and rising pressures from tourism and agricultural activities. These challenges necessitate strengthened capacity and improved operational readiness.
Bani Yassin pointed out critical issues such as shortages in manpower, vehicles, and equipment, along with the aging machinery, which collectively undermine the efficiency of waste collection and transport operations. He explained that waste is transported to a sorting station located approximately 90 kilometers away, imposing a significant operational burden on compactor vehicles and increasing fuel consumption, maintenance costs, and transport time.
He further elaborated on the increased waste volumes during holidays and events like the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts, which exacerbate the pressure on municipal services due to heightened commercial activity and increased visitor numbers. Agricultural areas, constituting about 33 percent of the municipality, pose additional challenges, requiring a balance between environmental protection and efficient service delivery to maintain urban and agricultural sustainability.
Bani Yassin also noted the seasonal pressures during summer, such as the spread of dry vegetation and fire risks in open and forested areas. These factors demand intensified municipal efforts in cleaning and preventive measures to ensure public safety.
The European Union delegation emphasized the importance of supporting solid waste management systems and expressed their readiness to provide technical and technological assistance to improve efficiency and service quality. They conducted a field visit to the sorting station to assess its operational mechanisms and observe the waste management system's performance on the ground.