Last update:
2017-07-04

Ain Dara Cement Factory, Lebanon

Fattouch's death factory meets heavy opposition from the locals of Ain Dara. The Ain Dara municipality refuses to give Fattouch a license to start building due serious environmental and health impact .



Description:

Being advertised as a job creating opportunity, the Ain Dara cement factory has stirred up a lot of turmoil in the public eye. Many protests have risen demonstrating both the illegal nature and the environmental impacts of the plant. The factory was supposed to be located in Zahle, however heavy protest from Zahle residents due to environmental concerns has led to the suspension of the project in Zahle, and it’s relocation to Ain Dara .According to Zahle’s MP “the environmental problems would not only affect the city of Zahle, but the entire district as well”.

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Basic Data
Name of conflict:Ain Dara Cement Factory, Lebanon
Country:Lebanon
State or province:Mount Lebanon
Location of conflict:Ain Dara
Accuracy of locationMEDIUM (Regional level)
Source of Conflict
Type of conflict. 1st level:Industrial and Utilities conflicts
Type of conflict. 2nd level:Other
Deforestation
Building materials extraction (quarries, sand, gravel)
Specific commodities:Cement
Project Details and Actors
Project details

Set to be 5 million m2 of land in quarries and the cement factory, Fattouch is advertising his factory as financially beneficial for the village. However no amount of money will fix the number of environmental issues it will cause. The factory will be located near the biosphere reserve, which is the largest natural cedar reserves in Lebanon, and in close proximity to a water spring. The residents fear that the factory will pollute the main source of water, as well as lead to the destruction of the Shouf biosphere reserve. The factory is part of Fattouch's greater operations of quarries. In 1995 Fatouch obtained a 20 year operating license from the municipality, which later in 2009 became legally protected by the government. Although the license allows Fattouch to use the 2000 meter2 of land, Fattoush's quarries are now occupying 20,000 meter2.

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Project area:500
Type of populationRural
Start of the conflict:17/05/2016
Relevant government actors:Ministry of Environment
Ministry of Industry
Fattouch construction company
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:Ain Dara Municipality
Neighboring Municipalities
Ladies of Ain Dara
Ain Dara Green
Conflict & Mobilization
IntensityHIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...)
Reaction stagePREVENTIVE resistance (precautionary phase)
Groups mobilizing:Local government/political parties
Neighbours/citizens/communities
Forms of mobilization:Artistic and creative actions (eg guerilla theatre, murals)
Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism
Public campaigns
Street protest/marches
Impacts
Environmental ImpactsVisible: Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Desertification/Drought, Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover
Potential: Air pollution, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality
Health ImpactsPotential: Other environmental related diseases
Other Health impactsasthma and other respiratory issue
Socio-economical ImpactsVisible: Loss of landscape/sense of place
Potential: Displacement
Outcome
Project StatusUnknown
Conflict outcome / response:Corruption
Court decision (undecided)
Project temporarily suspended
Proposal and development of alternatives:Not to build the factory
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:Not Sure
Briefly explain:though the factory has not yet been build the Fattouch family still has their quarries running and are still lobbying for the factory
Sources & Materials

{3}- Mt Lebanon factory set to operate despite controversy
[click to view]

Mt.Lebanon cement factory fires back at critics
[click to view]

plan to establish Ain Dara Cement factory
[click to view]

the cement import "ban" and pollution
[click to view]

{2}-Ain dara's mukhtar says that fattoush's building is a death factory
[click to view]

{1}-Ain Dara residents protest Establishment of the cement factory
[click to view]

officials hardens stance against Mt Lebanon factory
[click to view]

Meta information
Contributor:Hussein Al- Mouallem and Mira Husseini
Last update18/08/2019
Conflict ID:2868
Comments
Legal notice / Aviso legal
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