♻️ Sustainable WEEE Recycling in Palestine – Hebron
♻️ Sustainable WEEE Recycling in Palestine – Hebron
As part of my commitment to environmental sustainability and inclusive development in fragile contexts, I supported a European Union-funded project focused on improving e-waste (WEEE) management in the Hebron region of southern Palestine — one of the areas most severely affected by unmanaged and informal e-waste processing.
The project, titled “Promotion of Sustainable Growth in Palestine through an Environmentally Safe, Innovative and Economically Valuable Treatment of WEEE”, was implemented by CESVI, in partnership with Green Land Society and the North Hebron Chamber of Commerce.
The environmental crisis in Palestine is exacerbated by the absence of formal waste management infrastructure, coupled with the unregulated transfer of waste from Israel. In Hebron, WEEE — such as discarded TVs, flat screens, and electrical cables — has traditionally been processed through hazardous informal methods, including open burning, which causes:
Severe environmental pollution
Long-term public health risks
Minimal economic return for local recyclers
🔧 Project Objectives & Achievements
The project aimed to demonstrate that safe, circular, and economically viable e-waste recycling is possible, even in fragile contexts like Palestine. Key milestones included:
✅ Establishment of the first WEEE recycling plant in Hebron
♻️ Installation of specialized machinery to granulate electrical cables — producing high-quality copper without burning
📺 Deployment of a new treatment line for flat screens from TVs and computer monitors, enabling the recovery of high-value plastics
💡 Creation of new income opportunities for local workers in a safe and regulated environment
🔬 My Role
I supported the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of the WEEE recycling process in Hebron. This involved evaluating the environmental risks associated with informal e-waste practices and recycling practices. This work sets the foundation for sustainable scale-up in the future.