Dive Brief:

• The Lebanese government has announced it will open three landfills as a temporary solution to the country's "trash crisis," which began in July after the country's main landfill in Naameh was closed. The solution will suffice for four years before a permanent solution is put in place.
• Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said the Naameh landfill will be reopened to take in tens of thousands of tons of trash. He also said Lebanon will distribute $40 million this year to the municipalities that agree to host the other landfills. 
• In the capital of Beirut, 2,000 protesters demanded a more long-term waste plan, opposing the idea of only having a temporary fix. 

Dive Insight:

The Lebanese trash crisis made headlines across the world as iconic photos portrayed a "river of trash" flowing through the streets of Beirut.

The pile-up of trash caused the "You Stink" movement, where thousands of protesters demanded solutions and reform in the Lebanese government. The issue was also a wide reminder to the rest of the globe of the importance of proper and efficient waste management; Lebanon's trash-flooded streets represented how improper waste disposal can affect health standards and also imply civil rights violations — both issues that are also apparent in some areas of the United States.

Now, the Lebanese government is debating if a permanent solution will be found in more landfills, or in other waste disposal options such as trash incinerators.