Lebanon: Cabinet approves environmental fees on waste‑generating products
Type
News
Date
14 Aug 2026
Provider
Middle East Newspaper Index
Jurisdiction
Lebanon
Taxonomy
Environmental Regulation And Enforcement
Copyright
LexisNexis
Newspaper title
Lebanon24
Issue date
14 Aug 2026
Citation
Lebanon24, 14 August 2026
Summary
Lebanon24, 14 August 2026: Lebanon’s Council of Ministers has approved a new decree imposing environmental fees on products and goods that turn wholly or partially into waste after use, under the principle of “the polluter pays.”
The measure, prepared by the Ministry of Finance, adds a fee ranging from 1% to 3% on the prices of selected goods and services. While the government presented the decision as fair—highlighting consultations with the General Labour Union, economic bodies and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce that led to exemptions for many products—critics argue it effectively represents a disguised increase in VAT.
The controversy stems from the fact that the decree sets fees ten times higher than those listed in the annex of the Solid Waste Management Law, which had specified rates between 0.1% and 0.3%. Observers note this discrepancy amounts to a legislative violation.
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