By Faranak Bakhtiari

Caspian Sea grappling with poor waste management

TEHRAN – Waste management in the Caspian Sea is on the verge of crisis and seriously threatens the Sea’s environment, Ahmad Reza Lahijanzadeh, deputy chief of the Department of Environment (DOE) for the marine environment, said.

Waste recycling can generate $10b in value-added products

TEHRAN- The development of the waste recycling industry can lead to $10 billion in value-added products per year, head of the Iranian Recycling Industries Association has stated.

Tehraners produce waste equaling 38 Boeing 747s per day

TEHRAN – In Tehran, on average, about 6,500 tons of waste is produced daily, which is as much as 38 Boeing 747s in weight, Narges Rajaei, deputy director of the Tehran Waste Management Organization, has said.

Iran, Spain to expand cooperation on environmental issues

TEHRAN – Iran's Department of Environment deputy chief, Masoud Tajrishi, and Spanish Secretary of State for Environment, Hugo Alfonso Moran Fernandez, discussed ways to expand environmental cooperation.

$238m allocated to manage environmentally hazardous waste

TEHRAN –The Department of Environment (DOE) will receive a budget of 10 trillion rials (nearly $238 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) to manage environmentally hazardous waste as proposed in the budget bill for the next calendar year (starting on March 20, 2020).

‘Poor waste management brings annual loss of $10.5b’

TEHRAN – Poor waste management brings the country an annual loss of 440 trillion rials (about $10.5 billion), Hassan Pasandideh, head of waste management affairs at the Department of Environment (DOE), has said.

Tehran to host Climathon 2019

TEHRAN – Tehran Municipality plans to hold programs in line with Climathon 2019 on October 24-25, looking for optimal solutions for issues such as air pollution and waste management.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Choked by air pollution, Shahr-e Rey struggling to survive

TEHRAN – As several cities in Tehran province are experiencing severe air pollution, high concentration of industrial and residential units as well as large amounts of emissions produced by vehicles and landfill sites are among the major sources of pollutants choking the ancient city of Shahr-e Rey, southern Tehran.

Environmentally hazardous products to be taxed

TEHRAN – Products which turn into hazardous waste after consumption and lead to environmental degradation will be taxed, the deputy head of the National Tax Administration has said.

On the occasion of Caspian Sea day: waste management atop agenda

TEHRAN - Caspian Sea Day, annually observed by the Caspian Sea states on August 12, will be held in the city of Babolsar on August 15 with a theme of taking steps toward waste management in coastal provinces.

Comprehensive waste management plan to be prepared for Tehran

TEHRAN – A comprehensive plan for waste management in the capital will be prepared in a collaborative initiative between the waste management organization and the urban research and planning center, both affiliated to Tehran Municipality.

First green school being built in Tehran

TEHRAN – The first green school in Iran is being built in the capital city of Tehran in line with the goal of environmental sustainability, Ali Shahri, director general of the organization for renovation, development and equipment of Tehran schools has stated.

Medical waste disposal become possible using plasma technology in Iran

TEHRAN – Using plasma gasification, Iranian researchers managed to dispose medical wastes and disassemble all its hazardous gases by filters, IRNA reported on Sunday.

Destruction of landfills, most challenging issue in flood-hit areas

TEHRAN – The biggest challenge the flood-stricken provinces are facing is mostly the destruction of landfills by flood, Tasnim news agency reported.

Daily waste generation decreased by 1,000 tons in Tehran

TEHRAN — Generation of waste in metropolis of Tehran has dropped by 1,000 tons per day in the current year (started March 21) compared to a year earlier, director general of Tehran Waste Management Organization affiliated to Tehran Municipality has said.

25% of waste produced in Iran recyclable: environment official

TEHRAN — Approximately 25% of the waste generated in Iran is recyclable, director general of Tehran province department of environment has said.

Iran, Turkey to boost co-op in environmental issues, waste management

TEHRAN – Iran’s Department of Environment (DOE) chief, Issa Kalantari, and Turkey’s Deputy Minister of the Environment and Urban Development, Fatma Varank, discussed increased cooperation on environmental issues and waste management during a meeting held on Wednesday.

Tehran Municipality plans to hold smart city meetings

TEHRAN -- Tehran Municipality Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Organization plans to hold a series of meetings as a part of a project for turning the capital into a smart city in the near future, IRNA reported on Tuesday.

Waste management plans drawn up for 640 cities nationwide 

TEHRAN — Comprehensive plans for waste management in 640 cities nationwide have been drawn up, an official with the Municipalities and Village Administrators Organization, affiliated to the Interior Ministry, has said.

Tehran mayor calls on universities to cooperate on proper waste management

TEHRAN – Pirouz Hanachi, Tehran’s mayor, has called on academics to cooperate on waste management, which has turned into the capital’s main challenge along with air pollution, Mehr news agency reported on Saturday.

60 tons of hazardous medical waste pile up daily in southern Tehran

TEHRAN – Some 60 tons of medical waste containing infectious toxic substances, is being stockpiled daily on Arad mountain in Kahrizak, southern part of the capital, deputy supervisor for Tehran City Council Afshin Habibzadeh has announced.

Chemical waste leachate raising cancer worrisome: expert

 TEHRAN – The leachate produced from hazardous chemical waste penetrating into the soil after rainfall pollutes water with harmful toxic substances and causes cancer, which has raised concern in northern provinces of the country, an environmental expert has said.

‘Only 15% of Tehran’s construction, demolition waste recycled’

TEHRAN – While some 50,000 tons of construction and demolition waste is produced in Tehran daily, only 10 to 15 percent of which are recycled and the rest is dumped or disposed, Mohammad Hossein Bazgir, head of Tehran’s department of environment (DOE) has said.

Poor waste management posing a challenge to DOE

TEHRAN – While proper waste management and separation of waste at source could help create many jobs and solve the country's environmental problems, the budget requested by the Department of Environment (DOE) for waste management has not been approved by the Majlis [Iranian parliament], the head of DOE’s soil and water office has said.

‘Reducing waste generation, segregation at source crucial in waste management’

TEHRAN – While reduction of waste generation and separation of waste at source are the two major processes in waste management, in Iran the focus is mainly on the last phase of waste management which is waste disposal, head of soil and water office at the Department of Environment (DOE) has said.

‘Each Iranian generates 8kg of e-waste annually’

TEHRAN – Some 8 kilogram of electronic waste per person is produced annually in Iran, which causes serious health problems in case of being left untreated, a knowledge based company director has said.

14% of total waste in Iran produced in northern coastal cities: report

TEHRAN – The amount of waste generated in the northern provinces of the country, neighboring the Caspian Sea, is snowballing at a rate of over 7,000 tons a day, holding accountable for 14 percent of the total daily 50,000 tons of waste production in the country.

Dry waste collection in Tehran up 20% in 7 months

TEHRAN – While the average dry waste collection rate has been 3 percent in the past, it will increase by 20 percent by the end of the [current Iranian calendar] year (March 20, 2019), the mayor of Tehran’s district 22 has said.