There is a massive and recurring fire currently raging at the solid waste dump east of Gaza City. Tremendous and commendable efforts are being made by all parties involved to extinguish the fire, despite the extremely dangerous and complex security and health conditions. However, in my opinion, there is an urgent need to develop and implement an integrated and comprehensive monitoring and follow-up plan for the Juhar al-Dik central landfill, as well as for other solid waste dumps in the Gaza Strip. These landfills have become a reality in the absence of holistic recycling methods and clear national strategies towards a genuine circular economy and sustainable waste recycling. Such a plan is essential to prevent the fire from reigniting.

As everyone knows, this fire poses a significant source of air pollution and represents a real danger to all components of public health in Gaza. Monitoring the visitors and the waste coming into the landfill, as well as the gases emitted daily, will play a crucial role in reducing these incidents that have become a yearly occurrence.

There are temperature monitoring devices, cameras, and sensors that can be distributed around and inside the landfill. These tools will help detect smoke, heat, or even flammable gases such as methane and other volatile organic compounds. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Imagine the costs that are currently being spent to extinguish the fire, not to mention the huge environmental cost of the fire, which could have been avoided if we had spent just half of that amount building an effective 24-hour monitoring plan for the landfill.