Reports from several provincial administrations have prompted heightened alert within authorities in the Casablanca-Settat region over the rapid spread of illegal inert waste dumps, according to informed Hespress AR sources.
The reports warn of a growing number of uncontrolled disposal sites for construction and demolition waste, largely fueled by property developers and unregulated building activity, across both urban and rural communes, particularly in the provinces of Berrechid Province, Mediouna Province, Nouaceur Province, and the outskirts of Mohammedia Province.
Regional authorities have instructed provincial governors to act swiftly to curb the expansion of these dumps.
Local officials, including district chiefs and administrative officers, have been asked to compile detailed reports identifying the size, coordinates, and current status of existing sites, especially after receiving information that some are located near strategic and administrative facilities.
Particular attention has been directed at black spots in suburban provinces such as Berrechid, Nouaceur and Mediouna.
Among the sites highlighted is an open dumping area along the highway linking Berrechid and Tit Mellil, near the Al Massira 2 residential project in the jurisdiction of Daroua. Heavy trucks have reportedly been unloading construction debris along the roadside, close to an administrative annex.
According to the same sources, governors have also been urged to conduct field visits to assess the situation and take necessary measures to prevent further expansion of inert waste dumps.
This follows the limited impact of awareness campaigns targeting developers and contractors about the environmental risks of illegally disposing of construction waste on vacant public and private land.
The campaigns also targeted transporters and truck owners operating on construction sites, many of whom reportedly earn substantial sums from waste disposal activities.
Casablanca’s stock of inert waste is estimated at 4 million tons, according to a study previously conducted by the city council. Under Law 28-00 on waste management and disposal, such waste is supposed to be directed to a controlled Class II landfill.
The issue has persisted since 2018. In response, the municipal council, in partnership with the Interior Ministry, allocated 150 million dirhams for the temporary management and gradual clearance of accumulated inert waste.
A fee of 10 dirhams per ton was also introduced for waste destined for burial at a temporary quarry site in Nouaceur Province, in accordance with a tax decree approved by the council.
Regional authorities have also received complaints detailing the rise of intermediaries specializing in the disposal of construction waste for significant fees calculated by load.
These brokers reportedly use falsified invoices and transport documents, describing materials as stones or sand, to evade traffic checkpoints.
According to the complaints, several vacant plots of land, particularly along the Casablanca–Berrechid highway, have effectively turned into open dumping grounds for inert waste transported from rapidly urbanizing areas such as Bouskoura, Ouled Saleh and Daroua, where construction activity has intensified amid ongoing urban expansion.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.