A comprehensive investigation into Gaza’s collapsing waste system and the invisible toxins threatening an entire population
In the Gaza Strip, which was already one of the most densely populated places in the world before the Israeli assault began in October 2023, an unprecedented environmental disaster is deepening. The scene is no longer dominated by rubble alone; even the air has become another arena of catastrophe. With the near total collapse of the solid waste management system, hundreds of thousands of tons of garbage have accumulated in the streets, in the displacement camps, and along the coastline. Toxic gases such as methane and formaldehyde rise from piles of burning waste.
According to estimates from the United Nations Environment Programme, the war generated nearly sixty million tons of debris. By mid 2024, around three hundred and thirty thousand tons of solid waste had built up inside residential areas, a figure that climbed to nearly seven hundred thousand tons by November 2025. These numbers are not statistics in the abstract; they represent a living picture of an isolated and besieged region where air, water, and public health are collapsing over the heads of the population.
A Daily Scene Growing Darker
Gaza struggled with limited waste management even before the war. The number of waste collection vehicles dropped from one hundred and twelve in 2017 to seventy three in 2022. After the war began, five of six major treatment facilities were destroyed. Israeli military control made access to official landfills nearly impossible.
As a result, almost every empty area became an informal dumping ground. The organization PAX documented more than two hundred and twenty five uncontrolled waste sites by July 2024. With no functioning collection system, between one thousand and twelve hundred tons of garbage accumulated daily in camps and crowded streets.
In displacement camps, children walk beside waste piles taller than two meters. Families live surrounded by smoke, burning plastic fumes, and dense clouds of toxic gases. By November 2025, more than seven hundred thousand tons of waste were exposed to open air, alongside fifty million tons of debris contaminated with hazardous substances such as asbestos and unexploded ordnance.
Methane… the Unseen Poison
Methane, one of the most powerful greenhouse gases in the world, has been among Gaza’s silent catastrophes in recent years. While global methane concentration ranges between one thousand eight hundred and two thousand parts per billion, measurements in Gaza have shown a steady rise since the war began.
Field studies and satellite images revealed that methane concentrations increased from one thousand nine hundred and eight parts per billion before the war to around one thousand nine hundred and twenty eight in 2025. These numbers may appear small to those unfamiliar with methane’s dangers, but they represent a consistent rise that rapidly deteriorates air quality, especially with the widespread fires breaking out in waste sites.
Thousands of tons of organic waste are believed to be decomposing without any containment in open dumps, creating ideal conditions for methane production. At the same time, families burn waste in order to clear space or reduce the smell, which releases even more methane and poisonous chemicals.
Methane does more than pollute the air. It contributes to the formation of ground level ozone, a harmful gas that causes breathing difficulties, increased heart rate, and a much higher risk of death for people with respiratory conditions. In crowded areas where families live in tents, simply breathing becomes a daily challenge.
Formaldehyde… the Gas That Burns the Lungs
Unlike methane, formaldehyde can be felt immediately. It has a sharp odor and causes irritation in the eyes, along with a burning sensation in the throat and lungs. According to international standards, its concentration should not exceed zero point one parts per million for even one hour. In Gaza, readings have surpassed one hundred parts per million in some burn areas, more than one thousand times the permitted limit.
The sources of this gas are many. They include burning plastic, wood, fabrics, and damaged household furniture, as well as medical waste that can no longer be disposed of safely. United Nations estimates indicate that seventy percent of formaldehyde emissions come from open burning, while the rest comes from toxic dust released by the crumbling of destroyed homes and concrete structures.
These elevated levels have caused a dramatic rise in health conditions linked to exposure to toxic gases. Medical reports from 2024 and 2025 show a fivefold increase in respiratory illnesses and a long term rise in cancer risks, especially lung cancer. Several medical centers have also reported an increase of up to twenty percent in premature births and congenital defects in the most polluted areas.
Diseases Multiply and the Environment Traps People from Every Direction
The waste crisis is not simply an environmental problem; it is a full scale public health emergency. When waste accumulates and is burned in open air, the consequences spread to water, food, and the atmosphere. The World Health Organization documented a catastrophic rise in infectious diseases. Acute diarrhea increased thirty six times, while viral hepatitis A recorded more than forty thousand cases by August 2024.
Along the coast, around eighty four thousand cubic meters of untreated sewage flow into the sea every day, rendering ninety seven percent of groundwater unfit for drinking. This pollution reaches beyond humans and affects marine life as well, destroying biodiversity through fish die offs, shoreline erosion, and the spread of toxic algae.
The situation above ground is no better. With more than eighty one percent of agricultural land destroyed, the soil has been contaminated with heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Local studies suggest that agricultural production has dropped by sixty seven percent in the past two years, and many crops have become contaminated and unsafe for consumption.
Environmental Losses That Will Last into the Future
The waste crisis is part of a much larger environmental disaster that struck Gaza during the war. According to UNEP estimates, emissions from military operations surpassed the annual emissions of twenty six countries. The Strip lost nearly eighty percent of its tree cover, leading to a rise in local temperatures, increased soil erosion, and a decline in the natural ability of the land to absorb pollutants.
The spread of unexploded ordnance has created pockets of extreme pollution, where heavy metals and explosive compounds seep into soil and water. Environmental experts warn that the effects of these materials may persist for decades before returning to safe levels.
Conclusion
Solutions are possible but require strong international commitment. The United Nations recommends rebuilding waste treatment plants, establishing safe zones for hazardous waste, monitoring air quality, testing soil and water regularly, and supplying municipalities with new collection equipment.
Long term recovery requires renewable energy projects, recycling systems for debris, and environmental awareness programs in schools and camps. The crisis is more than technical. It is a human right to clean air, safe water, and a livable environment.
Today, Gaza’s air is more than air. It is a test of global justice, human responsibility, and the world’s willingness to act before an entire generation is lost to toxic pollution.1
