Former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Environment and environmental expert Dr. Mohammad Al-Khashashneh warned that waste management in densely populated areas cannot be reduced to collecting waste and transporting it to landfills. He stressed that moving hundreds of tons of waste every day from one area to another should be the last resort in a waste-management system, not a substitute for source separation, recycling and investment in waste recovery.

Speaking on Youth Voice, hosted by Hadeel Al-Saabi on Radio Al-Balad, Al-Khashashneh said Russeifa, whose population exceeds half a million according to estimates discussed during the programme, generates around 500 tons of waste per day. This is based on an estimated daily waste generation rate of between 900 grams and one kilogram per person.

He said dealing with these volumes begins with planning, not with garbage trucks, stressing the need to distribute containers according to population density, waste-generation rates and the nature of economic activity in each area.

Russeifa, he added, is not exclusively residential. It also contains commercial, industrial and craft activities, meaning that the same waste-collection system cannot be applied uniformly across all neighbourhoods.

Commercial areas, for example, require more frequent collection because they generate larger volumes of waste during the day. Once-daily collection may be sufficient in some residential areas, while collection frequency should be increased during summer because organic waste decomposes faster and produces stronger odours.

Russeifa: Around 500 Tons of Waste Every Day

Al-Khashashneh's comments come as residents of Russeifa describe waste as a daily problem in several neighbourhoods. Their concerns go beyond overflowing containers to rubbish accumulating around them, the appearance of rodents and insects, unpleasant odours and, at times, the burning of waste.

Residents told the programme that some inner neighbourhoods do not, in their view, receive the same level of cleaning services as the main streets. Some said waste can remain in certain locations for two or three days before being collected.

One resident spoke of an insufficient number of containers in some areas, while another said rubbish accumulates on the ground around the containers, leaving it exposed to animals and rodents.

Others said conditions become worse during the summer as high temperatures accelerate the decomposition of food and organic waste, producing strong odours.

In a notable testimony, one resident linked air pollution and unpleasant smells to his family's difficulties, saying his wife uses an oxygen machine and that the odours, in his account, aggravated her respiratory problems.

These remain residents' personal testimonies and do not, by themselves, establish a direct causal relationship between waste and specific medical conditions. They do, however, illustrate the level of concern among residents about the quality of their surrounding environment.

Recycling Below 1%: The System Starts at the Source

According to information discussed during the programme, less than 1% of waste generated in Russeifa is recycled, while most of the waste is sent for disposal, burned or left accumulated for periods before being transported.

Al-Khashashneh believes this limited rate reflects the need for a broader transformation than simply increasing the number of workers or garbage trucks.

He places source separation at the beginning of the solution, calling for paper, cardboard, plastic, metals, glass and other recyclable materials to be separated before they reach waste containers.

The commercial sector, he said, could provide an important starting point, particularly shops, restaurants and factories that generate large quantities of cardboard, plastic and packaging materials.

Mixing cardboard and plastic with other waste contaminates recyclable materials and reduces their value. Separating them at source, by contrast, allows specialised operators to collect and reuse them.

According to Al-Khashashneh, the proper waste-management hierarchy begins with reducing waste generation, followed by reuse, separation and recovery of recyclable materials. Landfilling should come at the bottom of the hierarchy.

Transfer Station: A Logistical Solution If Properly Operated

The programme also examined the transfer station in Russeifa.

Mohammad Zaboun, head of the Russeifa Municipality committee, said the municipality has around 500 sanitation workers, while acknowledging that this number is insufficient given the size of the population.

He said a transfer station had operated in Russeifa near Abu Sayah Circle, receiving waste from residential neighbourhoods, particularly areas that are difficult for large trucks to reach, before transporting it to the Ghabawi landfill.

He said the station had stopped operating. During the interview, Al-Khashashneh did not establish whether the facility was indeed out of service, but said that restarting a transfer station, if it is currently closed, could be important provided it meets health and environmental requirements.

Transfer stations can reduce the distances travelled by small collection vehicles. Instead of driving all the way to a distant landfill, they can unload at a nearby station, where larger quantities can then be transported to the final disposal site.

A small vehicle may be able to make only a limited number of trips per day if it has to travel directly to a distant landfill. With a nearby transfer station, it can complete considerably more collection trips.

Al-Khashashneh stressed that a transfer station should not become a place for storing waste. Transfer and loading operations should take place within a short period and in accordance with health and environmental requirements.

Does Moving Waste Actually Constitute Waste Management?

The central question raised by the programme was whether collecting waste from Russeifa and transporting it to another landfill actually means the problem has been solved.

Al-Khashashneh's answer was more complicated.

He considers moving waste away from populated areas necessary when it cannot be separated or recovered, but believes landfilling should remain the last option.

Leaving hundreds of tons of waste inside residential areas is clearly not a solution, he said, because it turns the waste into a source of odours, rodents, insects and health and environmental risks. But moving it from one place to another without developing systems for separation and recovery does not address the underlying problem.

Al-Khashashneh sees responsibility as shared among municipalities, residents, government agencies and the private sector.

Municipalities, he said, are responsible for providing suitable containers, securing vehicles and workers, organising collection schedules and transporting waste on time.

Residents, meanwhile, should avoid placing waste beside containers and should not use them to dispose of old furniture or materials that could be separated and recycled.

He also believes the private sector can play a greater role in supporting municipalities, particularly in areas containing large industrial and commercial facilities.

Burning Waste: A Risk That Can Be Worse Than Accumulation

Al-Khashashneh issued a clear warning against indiscriminate waste burning, describing it as one of the most dangerous ways of dealing with mixed waste.

Household waste is not a single substance. It is a mixture of plastic, paper, organic materials, metals, packaging and other materials. Burning some of these materials under uncontrolled conditions can release hazardous pollutants.

He referred to compounds such as dioxins and furans, which can form under certain combustion conditions, particularly when chlorine-containing or other halogenated materials are present.

He also stressed that the person burning waste may be among those most directly exposed to the resulting smoke.

As a result, attempting to solve accumulated waste through uncontrolled burning can simply shift the problem from solid waste to the air residents breathe.

Waste Does Not Stay in the Container: It Becomes an Air-Pollution Issue

During the programme, atmospheric physics professor at Hashemite University Dr. Mahmoud Abu Al-Laban explained that waste can affect air quality in several ways.

He distinguished between odours produced by the decomposition of organic materials and gases generated in landfills through anaerobic decomposition.

High summer temperatures accelerate fermentation and decomposition of food waste and organic materials, he explained, resulting in the release of compounds and odours into the air.

He also referred to gases that can be generated at landfills, including carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and methane, as well as other compounds associated with decomposition.

Waste management therefore extends beyond public cleanliness into the areas of air quality and environmental risk.

Hashemiyah and Dhuleil: Industry Versus the Environment

The programme then turned to another challenge in Zarqa Governorate, examining pollution in Hashemiyah and Dhuleil, two areas with substantial industrial activity located close to populated communities.

Residents say the area contains a large number of industrial facilities, as well as the Jordan Petroleum Refinery, power-generation plants, a wastewater treatment facility, iron factories and metal-smelting operations.

Ministry of Environment reports indicate that Hashemiyah faces pressure from multiple industrial sources. These include the Jordan Petroleum Refinery, Zarqa Power Station, Samra wastewater treatment plant, Samra Power Station, as well as iron and metal-smelting factories.

The Ministry of Environment says some of these activities can be sources of pollutants including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, particulate matter and dust, depending on the nature of the activity and emission source.

The ministry has also said it continues to monitor air quality in Hashemiyah. In June 2026, it published the final 2025 monitoring report on gaseous pollutants in the area, alongside national air-quality reports and a study of air quality in industrial cities.

Recent coverage based on 2025 monitoring results indicates that most concentrations of gaseous pollutants remained within national permitted limits, although relatively elevated levels of some pollutants were recorded during specific periods of the year.

This means the environmental debate in Hashemiyah requires careful examination of monitoring data rather than relying solely on impressions or complaints, while still taking residents' accounts of odours, emissions and their daily impact seriously.

Residents: We Live Among the Factories

In the report broadcast by the programme, residents of Hashemiyah and Dhuleil spoke about odours, dust, smoke and insects, and about their perception that residential communities have become surrounded by a growing number of industrial facilities.

One resident said the area contains, within a relatively limited space, an oil refinery, power plants, a water-treatment facility and iron factories, while green areas remain limited.

He said these conditions have persisted for many years and called for stronger measures to reduce the impact of industrial activity on residents.

Other residents said they are not calling for factories to be closed or relocated because they form part of the local economy and provide employment. What they want, according to their statements, are environmental measures proportionate to the scale of industrial activity.

These demands come as the Ministry of Environment maintains that the area is subject to environmental monitoring, while Hashemiyah Municipality is calling for greater coordination and more regular exchange of monitoring data with the relevant authorities.

Municipality: Pollution Exists, but Conditions Have Improved

Zarqa Municipality's Director of Environmental Affairs, engineer Enas Al-Faouri, said during the programme that the municipality recognises the scale of pollution and the difficulties faced by Hashemiyah residents as a result of the large number of industrial facilities.

She said conditions have improved compared with the past, but added that the area cannot yet be described as environmentally recovered.

Al-Faouri attributed part of the problem to population growth around industrial facilities that have existed for decades. Some of these facilities, she explained, predated the major urban expansion that later took place in the area.

According to her account, residential density gradually moved closer to these facilities as construction expanded and people purchased land and settled in the area, increasing contact between industrial activity and the local community.

Tree Planting: A Step Forward, But Not Enough

Al-Faouri said Hashemiyah Municipality is working with environmental associations and volunteers on tree-planting campaigns in cooperation with the Directorate of Agriculture. She stressed that the scale of pollution and the number of industrial facilities in the district requires these efforts to be expanded.

There are already official tree-planting projects in the area. In 2023, the Zarqa Directorate of Agriculture announced preparations for a forest project in Hashemiyah covering approximately 400 dunums, to be implemented in four phases, with 50 dunums and more than 2,000 trees in each phase. The directorate said the project aims to expand green space and help mitigate the effects of pollution.

In 2024, the Zarqa Environmental Protection Directorate also announced the launch of a tree-planting project along the Tapline corridor in Hashemiyah, financed by the Zarqa Governorate Council at a cost of JD25,000, alongside other environmental initiatives.

But Al-Faouri believes tree planting alone cannot address the scale of industrial activity and that multiple institutions need to contribute.

Who Monitors Pollution?

One of the issues raised by the programme was the division of responsibilities between municipalities and the Ministry of Environment.

Al-Faouri said the municipality does not have monitoring equipment capable of measuring pollution levels, and that responsibility for measuring environmental standards lies with the Ministry of Environment and its Zarqa directorate.

She said the ministry conducts field visits and inspection campaigns in cooperation with the municipality, the district administration and public health and safety committees, checking whether facilities comply with environmental requirements and whether equipment designed to reduce emissions is operating properly.

The municipality, according to Al-Faouri, needs to receive measurement results more regularly so that it can assess the scale of the problem and respond more accurately to residents' complaints.

She called for the municipality to receive periodic air-quality reports so that it can compare incoming complaints with available environmental data.

The request is particularly relevant because the area already has an official monitoring system, with the Ministry of Environment publishing annual reports on gaseous pollutants in Hashemiyah.

Corporate Social Responsibility

The programme also examined the role of industrial companies in improving the local environment.

Al-Faouri said some major facilities support the municipality through donations or equipment that helps with insect-control campaigns and local services.

But she called for corporate social responsibility to become more active and focused on long-term environmental projects rather than occasional assistance.

One proposal was for stronger coordination among municipalities, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Health and industrial facilities to measure the cumulative environmental and health impact of the area.

This is significant because assessing each facility in isolation may not provide a complete picture in an area containing multiple industrial sources located close to residential communities.

Hashemiyah Is Not Without Oversight, But It Needs More Data

Official information indicates that Hashemiyah is not outside the environmental monitoring system.

The Ministry of Environment publishes periodic reports on gaseous pollutants in the area and says monitoring is continuing. Inspection campaigns and facility visits are also being conducted.

In 2024, the Zarqa Environmental Protection Directorate announced that it had conducted 245 field visits to facilities, dealt with 100 environmental complaints, closed 27 facilities and referred the owners of 37 facilities to the Public Prosecutor over violations of environmental standards and requirements, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Yet the continuation of residents' complaints and the emergence of environmental protests show that the existence of oversight does not eliminate the need for greater transparency in publishing results, faster responses to complaints and assessments of the cumulative impact of industrial activity.

In April 2026, Hashemiyah witnessed a residents' protest over what they described as high levels of pollutants, odours and emissions, underscoring the continuing sensitivity of the environmental issue in the area.

Ma'an: Sometimes the Environment Starts With an Abandoned Building

In the third part of the programme, the focus shifted south to Ma'an, where correspondent Wissam Al-Khatib reported on former employee housing belonging to the Ministries of Education and Local Administration.

The buildings, which were once intended to house employees and workers, have become abandoned, according to the report. Some have been subjected to theft and vandalism, while waste has accumulated around them.

Nearby residents said missing doors and windows and the continued abandonment of the buildings have created concerns, particularly for children and pedestrians.

Residents also reported waste accumulating around the buildings, accompanied by insects and flies.

They called for the responsible authority to be identified, for ownership of the properties to be clarified and for a clear decision to be taken regarding their future.

Education Ministry: Maintenance Is Expensive and the Buildings Are Not Ministry Property

Ma'an Education Director Dr. Safaa Al-Mahamid explained that the directorate's employee apartments became vacant because they require major maintenance. Teachers, she said, are also unwilling to occupy them in their current condition, given the cost of repairs.

The directorate closed the vacant apartments as a measure to protect the properties and prevent tampering and vandalism.

Any decision to rehabilitate, restructure or repurpose the housing, she explained, is linked to the Ministry of Education's plans.

According to Al-Mahamid, one of the main obstacles is the lack of financial allocations for maintenance. In addition, the properties are not owned by the Ministry of Education, making the question of financial and administrative responsibility part of the problem.

She said the directorate is preparing studies and cost estimates to determine the expenses involved in temporarily securing the vacant apartments against vandalism and damage.

Three Areas, One Problem

Russeifa, Hashemiyah and Ma'an may initially appear to represent three different stories.

In Russeifa, the problem begins with an overflowing container and accumulated rubbish, but ultimately raises a larger question about how to manage the hundreds of tons of waste produced every day.

In Hashemiyah and Dhuleil, the story begins with factories and industrial facilities but extends to air quality, green spaces, residents' complaints and the need to understand the environmental and health impact of industrial activity.

In Ma'an, there are no factories or landfills at the centre of the story. Instead, abandoned public buildings have gradually become waste-collection points and a source of concern for residents.

The common thread is that the environment cannot be separated from public services and local administration.

A container that is not emptied on schedule, a truck that does not reach a neighbourhood, a transfer station that is no longer operating, a factory requiring continuous monitoring and a government building left unused for years are all, ultimately, administrative decisions that become part of citizens' everyday lives.

Health: The Missing Part of the Discussion

At the end of the programme, the discussion attempted to move from describing environmental problems to the harder question: what happens to people's health when they are exposed to pollutants, odours, smoke and waste over many years?

Dr. Mohammad Hassan Al-Tarawneh had been scheduled to discuss the medical dimension, but was unable to participate, preventing the programme from completing this part of the discussion.

The programme nevertheless noted that air pollution is more than an unpleasant smell. Fine particles and certain pollutants produced by combustion and industrial emissions can enter the respiratory system, with children, older people and those who already have respiratory conditions among the groups that may be more vulnerable.

This is where a clear distinction is needed between scientifically established evidence and individual perceptions or public complaints. Linking pollution in a particular area to a specific disease requires specialised environmental and health studies, rather than individual testimonies alone.

That does not make the complaints less important. It makes them a starting point for scientific investigation and systematic data collection.

From Cleaning Streets to Managing the Environment

What the Youth Voice episode reveals is that environmental problems in these areas cannot be addressed through a single solution.

In Russeifa, increasing the number of workers may reduce the problem, but it will not be enough if source separation and recycling remain limited.

In Hashemiyah, planting trees can help improve the local environment, but it cannot replace emissions monitoring and enforcement of environmental standards.

In Ma'an, securing abandoned housing may temporarily prevent vandalism, but it does not resolve the larger question of what should happen to unused public property.

The three cases require a shift from managing problems after they appear to preventing them before they accumulate.

That means more accurate planning for container distribution and collection routes, source separation, greater investment in recycling, transparent environmental monitoring with data accessible to residents, effective coordination among municipalities, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Health and industrial operators, as well as clear decisions about abandoned government buildings.

The environment in which people live is shaped not only by the air they breathe, but also by the street they walk along, the container outside their home, the factory near their neighbourhood and the abandoned building they pass every day.

Across the three cases examined by the programme, the message is clear: this is no longer simply a matter of cleanliness in the narrow sense. It is a test of the ability of local government and relevant institutions to treat environmental management as an essential part of quality of life.

Additional sources and context: Jordan's Ministry of Environment, air-quality and gaseous-pollutant monitoring reports for Hashemiyah for 2024 and 2025; the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on tree-planting projects and environmental inspections in Zarqa; and recent local coverage of environmental complaints in Hashemiyah.