Using the GIS in studying and preparing the thematic maps for the coverage of water and sanitation networks and solid waste management during the crisis in Homs governorate

The crisis in Syria heavily impacted public infrastructure as well as the provision of basic services. This strongly affected the population in all Syrian governorates since the beginning of the crisis seven years ago. The water sector is considered one of the most affected. Hostilities led to damages in the networks and ensuing water cuts. In addition, main pumping stations, boreholes and sanitation networks ceased to function. This research aims at identifying the locations and extent of damages in the water networks in Homs governorate based on the percentage of water and sanitation networks as well as solid waste management services compared to the pre-conflict situation. The research depends on utilizing the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based on descriptive data. The information used comprises primary data collected in the field using structured questionnaires filled by the local population as well as secondary data produced by humanitarian organizations, SARC and governmental institutions. The results show decreased the coverage of water and sanitation networks in Homs Governorate notably outside the county centers while it is almost non-existent in the urban areas. The latter include the southern and eastern counties Al Qariateen, Sadd, Mheen, Al furqulus, Al Ruqama and Hisia. Furthermore, more than half of the population living in the eastern urban areas rely on water trucking. The discontinuity of municipal services and malfunction of solid waste removal trucks resulted in the accumulation of waste in many areas. Therefore, the state of solid waste management is evaluated to be mostly “bad”, while the reminder only reaches “medium” category, which means, the municipalities do not collect the waste, or collect and dump inside the city .This situation strongly increases the risk of an outbreak of infectious diseases.

Contribution To The Development of The Collection And The Transfer Processes of Solid Waste In Lattakia City Using Geographical Information Systems

The process of collecting and transporting solid waste is the first and fundamental issue in the management of solid waste as it is the most economically expensive operation, in which its expenses in the process of system of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) reaches about 60-70% of the total expenditure. This process starts from placing waste in containers till unloading these containers in transportation vehicles and then carry them to transfer stations or final disposal sites. The fees of collection and transportation can be reduced through the selection of the optimal path, and thus obtaining many economical benefits. In this research, the applications of geographical information systems (GIS) have been used in order to choose the optimal route for waste collection, transportation and transference in the city of Lattakia, Where a database has been designed which included mainly the streets, bridges and tunnels, it also included residential areas serviced by waste containers, and the process of linking them to each other took place by using the techniques of GIS in order to choose the best economical and timetable ways for the traffic of vehicles to collect and transport the waste, which contributes practically and effectively in improving the activities of municipal solid waste management in this city.

A Survey of DentalWaste Management in Dental Clinics in Syria

The dental wastes, if not dealt with properly, cause serious human and environmental consequences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the handling and disposal of dental wastes in private dental clinics in Syria.