The SWaTH Team Meets with the Minister of Environment

On June 26, 2024, a delegation from the Sustainable Wastewater Treatment for Hospitals (SWaTH; swath.eu) project, met with His Excellency, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Nasser Yassine, to present their recommendations for the sustainable treatment of hospital wastewater in Lebanese hospitals.

The SWaTH project is a collaborative initiative co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, comprising a consortium of 11 organizations from five European and South Mediterranean countries – France, Sweden, Finland, Spain, and Lebanon. One of the project’s key objectives is to conduct a comprehensive baseline assessment of hospital wastewater treatment methods in Lebanon. This assessment is then compared with current practices from Europe particularly, Sweden, France, Spain and Finland for the control, management, disposal and treatment of hospital wastewater.

The LAU plays a significant role in this project. The LAU SWaTH team includes Dr. Roy Kanbar (LAU team co-PI), Dr. Jad Abdallah (LAU team co-PI), Dr. Carl Aoun (project member), Dr. Nancy Fayad (project member), Dr. Robin Taleb (project member), Mrs. Ismat Abi Khalil (project member) and Naser Al Allaq (project member). The SWaTH project is coordinated by Dr. Makram El Bachawati from the University of Balamand.

The meeting with the Minister included (from left to right): Dr. Naser Alsharif, Professor and Dean of the LAU School of Pharmacy; Dr. Roy Kanbar, LAU team co-PI and Associate Professor at the LAU School of Pharmacy; Mrs. Ismat Abi Khalil, project member and Regulatory Affairs Specialist, and graduate from LAU School of Pharmacy; His Excellency, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Nasser Yassine; and Dr. Makram El Bachawati, Project Coordinator and Assistant Professor at the University of Balamand School of Engineering.

The research conducted by the SWaTH project is of paramount importance. Hospital wastewater often contains hazardous substances, including pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and chemical contaminants, which can have severe environmental and public health implications if not properly treated.

Their findings highlight significant deficiencies in managing healthcare wastewater, posing serious health and environmental risks. The recommendations, aligned with European current practices, urge immediate action to prevent untreated hospital wastewater from being discharged into the environment.

For more details on the SWaTH project and its initiatives, visit the project website at: swath.eu