The Palestinian Authority has taken delivery of over €1.3 million worth of waste collection and disposal equipment, in a move that will directly impact on the quality of life of ordinary Palestinians, helping local authorities to deal with the estimated 500,000 tons of solid waste generated annually in the West Bank alone.

 At a ceremony on March 25, European Commission Representative, Mr. Christian Berger admitted that, “Safely disposing of waste is perhaps not very glamorous, but it provides a vital service to local communities and considerably adds to the quality of life of those who will benefit directly.”

A press release said this was the first delivery of a series of EU-funded equipment, which will be sent out to 27 locations throughout the year. A lack of equipment in the past has meant that waste is sometimes not properly disposed of, which creates health hazards by contaminating ground water and soil, as well as air pollution due to uncontrolled burning.