Acting on behalf of the President of Al al-Bayt University, Professor Osama Nusair, the Vice President for Community Affairs and International Relations, Professor Hani Akhu Rasheeda, sponsored a workshop on "Solid Waste and its Management," which was organized by the University's Environmental, Water, and Energy Research Center in cooperation with the Jordanian Engineers Association, Mafraq Branch.

Director of the Environmental, Water, and Energy Research Center, Dr. Ibrahim Hamdan, confirmed that solid waste management is one of the most prominent environmental challenges in Jordan, as statistics indicate that the Kingdom produces approximately 2.5 million tons of solid waste annually, and these figures are increasing as a result of population growth, urbanization, and urban expansion. Therefore, this specialized workshop was held in partnership with the Jordanian Engineers Association, Mafraq Branch, to shed light on this issue and exchange experiences.

For his part, the head of the Jordanian Engineers Association, Mafraq Branch, Engineer Majdi Al-Amoush, confirmed that the issue of solid waste and its management has become a developmental, health, and economic challenge that requires the cooperation of all official, civil, and academic institutions and the integration of efforts between researchers, professionals, and decision-makers.

Dr. Jumana Al-Batoush, an expert in the field of municipal solid waste management, discussed in her lecture the topic of sustainable solid waste management and explained the types and sources of solid waste and the reality of solid waste in Jordan, where the quantities of solid waste disposed of continued to increase with the increase in the number of residents, changing consumption habits and displacement, which resulted in administrative challenges that include the infrastructure and the management and treatment of solid waste in Jordan. Al-Batoush stressed the need to join efforts to create sustainable management of solid waste and deal with it in an environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially responsible manner.

The head of the Hazardous Waste Management Department at the Ministry of Environment, Engineer Mahmoud Al-Zboon, referred to the department’s tasks in preparing national plans and policies for hazardous waste, classifying and treating waste, and disposing of it in environmentally sound ways in the Hazardous Waste Treatment Center project in Sawaqa, and proceeding with the technical procedures for exporting hazardous waste and granting permits for transporting hazardous waste and reducing the depletion of natural resources by encouraging the recycling process, using cleaner technology, and responding to the application of local legislation and international agreements in force.

The Director of Environmental Health at the Ministry of Health, Engineer Ahmed Al-Barmawi, spoke about medical waste and its management, which includes the process of sorting it according to the color guide in the medical waste storage room, then transporting it, examining the sterilization efficiency of medical waste treatment devices, treating spills, and recycling waste in health care institutions.

Engineer Basem Hawamdeh spoke about the experience of the Amman Municipality in solid waste management - Al-Ghabawi landfill, which receives 3,800 tons per day, how it is sorted and converted, and the cost of its management. He also reviewed the important projects in waste management, the most important of which are the biogas project, the biological-mechanical treatment project, and the solid waste management and sorting from the source (Sowas) project.

At the end of the workshop, which was managed by the Director of the Environmental, Water and Energy Research Center, Dr. Ibrahim Hamdan, the Vice President, Professor Hani Akhu Rasheeda, presented certificates of appreciation to the participants in the presence of the Vice President for Academic and Engineering Affairs, Professor Ahmed Alauna, the Chairman of the Branch Council, Engineer Majdi Al-Amoush, the Chairman of the Social and Cultural Committee and the Secretary of the Syndicate, Engineer Ashraf Jarar, the Assistant Director of the Center, Engineer at Al al-Bayt University, Riya Al-Amoush, and a group of engineers and interested people from Mafraq Governorate.