Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters Country Profile.

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities

The climate of Algeria varies considerably from north to south. The coastal area has a Mediterranean climate, while the highlands south of the coast have hot summers and cold winters with little rain. In large parts of the country there are significant changes between daytime and night-time temperatures. Further south, the Sahara Desert begins with even more extreme differences in temperatures between day and night.

The seasons’ effects on storage is minimal. For the handling, the working hours and the effectiveness of the workers are likely to be affected by the extremely high temperatures.

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

A significant part of Algeria’s territory is exposed to earthquakes, flooding, drought, forest fires, landslides, locust infestation, and the risk of tsunamis. More than 90 per cent of the country’s population lives along a coast that accounts for only 12 per cent of the country’s landmass. Dense urban settlements coupled with migration, poverty, unemployment, and a housing crisis make most of the population vulnerable to a nexus of natural and socio-economic hazards.

 In the aftermath of the 1980 El Asnam earthquake which caused 2633 deaths, 8369 injuries, 29,747 destroyed houses and made 478,949 people homeless, Algeria finalized a national construction code by 1983.The national government adopted a disaster reduction and management plan in 1985 and dedicated technical capacities for the development and dissemination of seismic knowledge, monitoring, and in-depth research by 1987.

In 2004 the country adopted the Law on Prevention of Major Risks and Disaster Management, and the National Scheme for Land Use Planning (SNAT), which was later updated in 2010 with risk-sensitive provisions for land management and urban planning. In 2004, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development also issued new seismic regulations for structures.

Since 2005the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has acted as a principal ally to improve Algeria’s institutional capacities. With the Government of Algeria, UNDP initiated a first national disaster risk management (DRM) project with a focus on developing local capacities and technical know-how for DRR across nine wilayas (districts). During this period, bilateral and regional cooperation was also initiated to further strengthen national capacities for DRR.

The Délégation nationale aux risques majeurs (National Delegation for Major Risks), appointed as of 2012, is now coordinating multiple sectors to reduce major risks across Algeria’s territory.

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List.

Humanitarian Community

For the last thirty years, the majority of Sahrawi refugees have lived spread over four camps located around Tindouf in the South-Western part of Algeria. This refugee population is dependent on international aid.

Several humanitarian agencies are present in the field to support the refugees, among them UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, ECHO, OXFAM, Spanish Red Cross, and Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli (CISP). The Algerian partner for these agencies is the Algerian Red Crescent.

UNHCR’s purpose is to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge from war and persecution. UNHCR also protects stateless people and pays attention to the needs of children and seeks to promote the equal rights of women and girls.

In 2019, WFP distributed almost 134,000 in-kind rations to meet the basic food and nutritional needs of food-insecure refugees.

UNICEF, in partnership with the government promotes respect for the rights of children and adolescents in Algeria.

For more information on humanitarian agency contact details, please see the following link: 4.2 Humanitarian Agency Contact List.

The Algerian Centre of Quality Control and Packaging (CACQE) is a public institution placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Trade. It is created by the executive decree No. 89-147 of 8 August 1989 and amended and supplemented by the executive decree No. 03-318 of 30 September 2003.

CACQE is an intermediate space that constitutes on one hand a technical support for the authorities in charge of quality and safety control of the products and, on the other hand a support for economical operators, in order to assist them in the implementation of programs related to the promotion of national production quality.

The center's main mission is the protection of health, safety of the consumer.  The main activities can be grouped in the following points:

• Analytical control that consists of verifying the compliance of the products with his characteristic regulatory standards or specifications
• Management, Development of quality testing laboratories;
• Promotion the quality of goods and services production;
• Participation in the elaboration of the standards of foods and services available for consumption, in national technical committees;
• Information, communication and consumer awareness;
• Assistance and support for the economical operators in order to master the quality of goods and services placed on the market.

For more information on regulatory departments and quality control laboratories’ contact details, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.3 Laboratory and Quality Testing Company Contact List.

Duties and Tax Exemption

For contact information regarding government custom authorities, please follow the link:  4.1 Algeria Government Contact List.

Emergency Response

Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response)

The following regulations govern the entry of humanitarian goods into Algeria:

• Framework Article 109 of the Finance Law of 1987 (amended and completed) relates to the conditions for the importation of goods.
• Inter-ministerial Order of 22 November 1994 contains the list of approved organizations permitted to receive goods.
• Circular # 71/DGD/CAB/130 of 19 September 1999 on the General Management of Customs related to customs formalities for imported goods.
• Inter-ministerial Order of 23 June 1996 determining the practical terms and conditions of shipping goods coming from abroad.
• Law # 90/31 of 04 December 1990 regarding organizations.
• Order # 38/MSP/CAB/MIN of 20 April 1997 completed by the Order of 11 September 1999 of the Ministry of Health and Population containing the list of restored medical equipment prohibited from import and commercialization.
• Articles 48 and 49 of the Finance Law of 2004 and Article 68 of the Finance Law of 1998 concerning age conditions of the import of tourism and utilitarian vehicles, and of engines.

Goods must meet the following conditions:

• Originate from non-governmental organizations or individuals;
• Be transported by Algerian transport companies except when these companies do not serve the shipment area;
• In the case of use of foreign shipping companies, the following conditions must be met:
  • The transported items must not be sold for profit;
  • The costs of transport be undertaken by the donor;
  • The donors must moreover opt to use the ports or airports closest to the destinations of the goods;
  • goods must bear the following identifying marks:
    • the type and brand of the product;
    • the name and address of the donor, and type of institution if applicable;
    • the name and address of the beneficiary, and type of institution if applicable;
    • expiry dates of perishable products;
  • Goods originating from Algerian organizations established abroad must transit through the relevant Algerian consulates.
  • Goods may be imported as humanitarian aid if they are designated for any of the following uses:
    • Pedagogical and cultural activities, scientific research, sport, and public service activities
    • Free distribution and other uses with humanitarian ends
    • Activities aimed at the prevention of, and the fight against, pollution. 

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements

Customs Clearance

General Information 

Customs Clearance Document Requirements

Transit Regime

N/A

The vast majority of Algeria’s commercial trade moves through the national port network. The most significant port in terms of traffic is Arzew in Oran, which handles mostly petrochemical traffic, followed by Skikda. For container traffic, Algiers is the most important port after Arzew, handling almost 60% of the country’s container traffic. Algiers is a congested port and delays are common, as in other major Algerian ports. Congestion surcharges are regularly implemented by shipping lines.  DP World (Dubai Ports World) is responsible for port operations in Algiers as well as Djen Djen.

Major Algerian Ports

• Port of Algiers
• Port of Annaba
• Port of Arzew
• Port of Bejaia
• Port of Oran

Key airport information may also be found at: http://worldaerodata.com/

Algeria has 35 airports, including 13 international ones. The most important one is the Houari Boumedienne Airport, also known as Algiers Airport. In 2018, the airport handled more than 7 million passengers and more than 350,000 tonnes of cargo. Algiers airport is served by more than 25 airlines. Air Algerie is the national airline, which has a fleet of 57 aircraft. Tassili Airlines, another national company is also operating in the country, mostly in the interior lines, with 15 aircraft.

Algerie, operates from its main hub at Houari Boumedienne Airport and its secondary hub at Oran Es Senia Airport. The carrier operates both domestic and international services. The Algerian Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation controls and oversees aviation in the country, however, services for safety and air navigation are outsourced to Etablissement National de la Navigation Aerienne (ENNA).

For more information on government agency and airport company contact information, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.5 Airport Companies Contact List.

The Algerian road network is one of the densest of the African continent, its length estimated at 112,696 km of roads, 29,280 km of which are highways and more than 4,910 structures (bridges, tunnels etc). This network has been complemented by a large stretch of 1216 km, which links the city of Annaba in the extreme East to the city of Tlemcen in the extreme West.

The Algerian road network is expanding due to the modernization program of highways, which includes the recent completion of the East-West Highway totaling 1216 km and the upcoming launch of construction works of the highway in the highlands of 1020 km

There is also the Trans-Saharan Highway (North-South), which was built by the government in order to increase trade between the six countries along this road (Algeria, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Tunisia).

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List.

Distance Matrix

Road Security

The road infrastructure is fairly developed although still insufficient compared to the growing number of vehicles in Algeria. Alongside, low skilled drivers and lack of mandated vehicle standards are considered to be key contributing factors to the growing incidence of road traffic crashes and resulting injuries.

Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits (MT)

*Polisario (Western Sahara) is recognized by the Algerian government.

Road Class and Surface Conditions

The railway network sector has experienced rapid growth over the past five years, opening up remote regions of the country.

Algeria's rail network is 4,769 km long at the end of 2018 and is being expected to reach 5,941 km by the end of 2020. Recently, Projects of electrification have been started, which should lead to the installation of high-speed trains which should link the most important cities in the country.

The rail network is managed by the national company of Rail Transport (SNTF). This network has more than 200 stations covering mainly the north of the country.

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List.

Travel Time Matrix

Railway Companies and Consortia

The National Railway Transport Company (SNTF) is the Algerian national rail transport company, it was created in 1976, it is notably present in the fields of passenger transport, freight transport and manages, operates and maintenance of the national rail network which it owns. By its volume of activity and the size of its network, SNTF is the second railway company in Africa after the South African railways.

For more information on railway company contact details, please see the following link: 4.9 Railway Companies Contact List.

Key Route Information

Key Stations

A waterway assessment is not  available for Algeria.

According to the current operational context, all food aid, are directly transported up to the Extended delivery Point (EDP) in Rabouni near Tindouf.

Officially the warehouse/storage facility compound at Rabouni is managed by the Algerian Red Crescent (ARC), however practically; it’s managed by the Sahraoui Red Crescent (SRC) according to a bilateral agreement signed between the two parties. 

The current storage facilities at Rabouni consist of the following:

• One 800 m² warehouse built in 2004. This store is in good shape, and just recently maintenance / repairs  were carried out to the doors, and also increased the ventilation in the warehouses which is mainly used for sensitive / short shelf- life commodities such as Corn Soya blend. The building has a capacity of about 1000 MT.
• Seventeen concrete open platforms, built  from 2002 to 2004 (sixteen of 200 m² and one of 240 m²). The steel framework supporting the roofs of some four of these platforms is damaged; thus, only twelve are currently covered. Repairs and maintenance are required to maximize the use of this space. The platforms suit the high temperature conditions by maximizing air circulation for sensitive food, such as the wheat flour. Total estimated capacity for these platforms is around 4250 MT.
• There are a significant number of shipping containers, many of which are not in good condition. While these are mainly used as perimeter barriers, some are also used for food storage due to insufficient storage space. Commodities can be damaged by storage in these containers due to the high temperatures. The estimated storage capacity of these containers is around 2500 MT, corresponding to about 250 containers.
• Two hard-wall (metal) hangars built in 1998, which need maintenance such as repair to a damaged entrance and of some of the zinc roofing sheets. Due to insufficient ventilation the doors to these hangars must be kept open all the times. These two hangars have an estimated capacity of 700 MT.
• One 1200 m² warehouse, recently built in excellent condition with an estimated capacity of 1500 MT.

Based on the above, the total current storage capacity amounts to some 9950 MT including the containers.
Although another 1000 m2 warehouse exists, this store, built by the Spanish Cooperation, is used principally for non-food items and other humanitarian aid rather than WFP food. As such, it is not taken into consideration above at the time being, but can be used during emergencies. 

For more information on storage company contact details, please see the following link: 4.6 Algeria Storage and Milling Company Contact List

Commercial Storage

[1] Warehouse Type: Open storage, container, rub-hall, silo, concrete, other, unspecified

[2] Warehouse Access: Raised-siding, flat

[3] Warehouse condition: Appears intact, appears damaged, under construction/repair

Storage Used by Humanitarian Organizations

At the end of the 2017/2018 harvest-threshing campaign, national cereal production reached 6.05 million tons, compared to 3.47 million tons recorded during the 2015/2016 campaign. The needs are far from being met in terms of common wheat, even in favorable years, which leads to costly imports in foreign currency for the country. Algeria plans to be self-sufficient in durum wheat by 2020. In 2018, Algeria imported 8 million tons of wheat (hard and soft) with a bill of 1.92 billion dollars, including 7.9 million tons of soft wheat with a value of 1.48 billion dollars .

The capacity of milling for the wheat is more 15 million tons per year and the capacity of wheat storage is more than 31 Million tons (2018).

For more information on milling company contact details, please see the following link: 4.6 Storage and Milling Companies Contact List.

Group Metidji

SPA Group METIDJI is one of the biggest private producers of wheat flour in Algeria. It is the main partner of WFP.

Group Azzouz

Group AZZOUZ is a private producers of wheat flour based in the west of Algeria in the region of ORAN and is a long-time partner of WFP.

Minoterie LBC

Minoterie LBC is a mid-sized producer and is the only milling company with the capacity to fortify wheat flour.

Groupe SOPI

Fuel Overview

Algerian authorities are planning to reach a 30 day stock by 2023. The current stocks grant an autonomy of 20 days.

For more information on government and fuel provider contact details, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.7 Fuel Providers Contact List.

Fuel Pricing

Algeria is ranked 5th country in the world where the price of fuel (gasoline and diesel) costs the least, and first concerning the prices of LPG-C.

Seasonal Variations 

No seasonal variations.

Fuel Transportation

Fuel transport in the country is made through railway and truck transports. The whole country is refueled through railway to the big regional distribution centres and then dispatched through trucks to the different stations.

The distribution is exclusively managed by the public company NAFTAL.

Standards, Quality and Testing

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

Algeria has one of the densest road networks in Africa thanks to its 109,000 km of roads. Road transport is the dominant mode of transport, for both travelers and goods. In 2006, 90% of transportation was by road. Responsibility for the construction of highways is devolved to the National Highway Agency (ANA).

The East-West motorway constitutes a major 1,216 km long axis, the construction of which is still underway on certain sections. The construction of the first sections began in the 1990s thanks to loans granted for the development of the country.

The construction of the highland’s highway (over 10,000 km of road) should have started in 2012 but did not actually start until 2014. The trans-Saharan road crosses the country of Algiers to the Niger border with a coating rate close to 100%.

For more information on transport company contact details, please see the following link: 4.8 Transporter Contact List.

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

Landline and Internet services are provided by the public sector. There are two internet service providers; Algerie Telecom and ICOSNET. The internet connection at Tindouf is relatively slow regardless of the size of the bandwidth. Registration is required for those services as well as for mobile phones in which three providers are available in Algeria (Mobilis, Nadjma & Djezzy). At Tindouf as well as the camps, mobile phones network are not reliable, and mainly busy from 5:00 to 11:00 pm as well as on weekends. Apart from Rabouni, mobile network at the camps (Smara, 27 February, Elyoone & Awsered) are only provided by Mobilis and at Dekhla, there is no network coverage.

Telecommunications Regulations

The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications is the implementer of national telecommunications policies and is responsible for the regulatory framework, ensuring the monopoly remains unthreatened and assigning spectrum and frequencies. It also oversees the development and management of the general network according to specific technical standards, established by itself. Its role in the supply of consumer equipment is now limited to defining technical standards and the approval of imported equipment.

Only Algerian citizens are allowed to provide Internet services for commercial purposes. Requests to provide such services must be addressed to the Minister of Telecommunication setting out details of proposed services and modes of access. A technical study will specify the architecture, facilities, software, partners as well as modes of connection. The users of foreign provider services are submitted to these same conditions. The Minister of Post and Telecommunications defines the entire development policy for the sector and proposes all relative regulation. The Ministry monitors the activity of the private enterprises active in the sector, proposes technical regulations, establishes employment legislation and lays down standards for the sector.

No telecommunications installation can be established or used without permission from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication.

Licensing

A new permanent commission has been set up and oversees examining license demands and of formulating recommendations in matters of service development. The representative of the Minister of Telecommunications heads the Commission.

Tariffs and policies

The Minister of Post and Telecommunications laid down tariffs in 1983. Inter-city calls of newspapers and press agencies are given a special tariff, while public servants are also given reduced rates.

Privacy, data protection, and consumer protection

The Internet provider is obliged to keep confidential all information relative to the private life of its subscribers. It is also held accountable for the contents of pages and data servers that it develops and hosts. (Article 14 of the ministerial decree no 98-257 of August 25, 1998 defining conditions and appropriate modes for using and operating Internet services). Section 303 of the penal code (see Art. 47 and 48 of the Post and Telecommunication code: legislation) punishes all violations of secret correspondence trusted to the service of telecommunication. The confidentiality of conversations through shared lines is assured (Art. 311 of the Post and Telecommunication code: regulation).

Electronic protection, legal protection and security

The distribution of broadcast and frequency utilisation subject to the authority of the Superior Council of Information. (Art. 56 of law no 90-07, 3 April 1990 relative to information).

Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)

ISP services are government controlled. Two service providers are available; Algerie Telecom and ICOSNET

For information on MNOs please visit the GSM Association website.

Agro-industry is a technically based concept that encompasses the processing sectors of agricultural raw materials, in the broad sense. In this acceptance, it includes several highly heterogeneous manufacturing sectors, some of which, by far the most important, concern food products. Agri-food is the concept that applies to the sectors relating to food products, the most important of which in Algeria remain the cereals, milk and dairy products, beverages, meats, preserves, oils and oilseeds, sugar. The Agro Food Industries (AFI) in Algeria experienced their great boom in the 1970s with development programs notably by the creation of a fleet of national companies for the main sectors.

The agri-food sector has a total of 1.6 million people, or 23% of the working population, in 23,000 companies, including 300 public companies.

Generic country information can be located from sources which are regularly maintained and reflect current facts and figures. For a general overview of country data related to the service and supply sectors, please consult the following sources:

The Observatory of Economic Complexity – MIT (OEC): https://oec.world/en/profile/country/dza/#Product_Space

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

Accommodation

4.10 Algeria Supplier Contact List

Taxi Companies

Taxis around cities are moderately priced, at around DZD 35 per kilometre travelled. Taxis between cities or across large distances either cost the same or are more expensive than flying. Most taxis don't come with a meter, meaning prices per kilometre must be agreed prior to travel. There are numerous taxi companies throughout Algeria. Auto Go (+213-02-127-8438) is based in Algiers along with many other official services like Taxi Haned Ammar and Algiers Taxi. Kheiro (+213-77-556-3067) which is placed in Tlemcen.

Vehicle Rental

4.10 Algeria Supplier Contact List

Freight Forwarding Agents

4.10 Algeria Supplier Contact List

Handling Equipment Rentals

4.10 Algeria Supplier Contact List

Electricity and Power 

According to the 2013 BP Statistical Energy Survey, Algeria had 2012 electricity production of 57.39 Terawatt-hours, a change of 10% from 2011 and equivalent to 0.25% of the world total.

Algeria has over 140,000 miles of power lines, serving almost the entire population. There are plans to increase the size of the network by 5% in coming years in order to reach isolated rural communities and hydrocarbon developments in the Sahara Desert. As mentioned above, Algeria does export some electricity to its neighbours, and there are plans to export electricity to Europe. Algeria has proposed undersea power connections to Italy and Spain, likely to run in conjunction with natural gas pipelines. However, Algeria's ability to export electricity in the future will depend upon its ability to build enough generation capacity to meet soaring domestic demand.

State-owned Sonelgaz controls electricity generation, transmission, and distribution in Algeria. A 2002 law converted Sonelgaz into a private company and revoked its monopoly on the power sector, though the Algerian government continues to hold all of the company's shares. The 2002 law also created the Electricity and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) to oversee the newly-opened industry and to ensure non-discriminatory access to the sector. Algeria aims to eventually split Sonelgaz into separate generation, transmission, and distribution companies, though those plans have faced domestic opposition from organized labour. Following privatization, Sonalgaz created a joint venture with Sonatrach, the Algerian Energy Company (AEC), in order to pursue partnerships with foreign investors.

In July 2002, Sonatrach and Sonelgaz formed a joint venture, New Energy Algeria (NEAL), to pursue the development of alternative electricity sources, including solar, wind, and biomass. One project reportedly under consideration is a 120-megawatt (MW), hybrid gas/solar power plant near Timimoun. In January 2003, Algeria and the International Energy Agency agreed on technological cooperation in developing solar power. Overall, Algeria hopes to increase the share of solar in the country's electricity mix to 5% by 2010.

Natural gas is the largest source of Algeria's electricity generation. Since the opening of the sector in 2002, there has been considerable private investment in new electricity generating capacity. Algerian law requires that all foreign operators establish joint ventures with AEC, and in return, AEC guarantees that it will purchase all electricity generated by these plants. AEC contracted with Anadarko and General Electric to build the country's first privately-financed, gas-fired power plant at Hassi Berkine. In August 2003, France's Alstom agreed to construct a 300-MW power plant at F'Kirina, some 300 miles east of Algiers. Canada's SNC-Lavalin won a contract in July 2003 to design and build an 825-MW, combined cycle power plant in Skikda, expected to come online in the third quarter of 2005. In 2004, SNC-Lavalin also won a tender to build a 1,200-MW, combined cycle power plant in Tipasa, west of Algiers. In early 2005, Siemens announced that it would build a 500-MW, gas-fired plant in Berrouaghia

In general power supply in the main towns is reliable. Average disruption of electricity supply in Tindouf can be estimated at around 2/3 hours per week with some 1 to 2 cuts per week with a possibility of increase at summer time. The main problem though at Tindouf is the instability of the voltage/current; accordingly voltage stabilizers are required there, which is not the case at Algiers.  Generator (40 KVA) was recently installed at Tindouf sub-office.

Waste Management and Disposal Providers

Solid waste generation in Algeria

In this paper, classifications of solid wastes have been proposed according to its origin into three types: municipal solid waste (MSW), industrial solid waste (ISW), and healthcare solid waste (HW).

According to the National Cadastre for Generation of Solid Waste in Algeria, the quantity of MSW generated in Algeria is estimated at 10.3 million tons/year (household and similar waste). The overall generation of ISW, including non-hazardous and inert industrial waste, is 2,547,000 tons/year with a stock quantity of 4,483,500 tons. The hazardous waste generated amounts to 325,100 tons/year. The quantities of waste in stock and awaiting a disposal solution amount to 2,008,500 tons. Healthcare waste reaches to 125,000 tons/year according to the same source.

Municipal solid waste

MSW is generally defined as waste collected by municipalities or other local authorities. It includes mainly household (domestic waste), commercial, and institutional wastes (generated from shops and institutions). These wastes are generally in solid or semi-solid form. It can be classified as biodegradable waste that includes food and kitchen waste, green waste, and paper (can also be recycled); recyclable materials such as paper, glass, bottles, cans, metals, certain plastics, etc.; inert waste such as construction and demolition wastes, dirt, rocks, and debris; composite waste which includes waste clothing, tetra packs, and waste plastics such as toys; domestic hazardous waste (also called ‘household hazardous waste’); and toxic waste like medication, e-waste, paints, chemicals, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, spray cans, fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries, and shoe polish.

According to the National Waste Agency (AND), Algeria produces 10.3 million tons of MSW each year or 28,219 tons per day, with a collection coverage of 85% in urban areas and 60% in rural areas, and a rate of 0.9 kg/inhabitant/day for urban zones and 0.6 kg/inhabitant/day for rural zones. In the capital (Algiers), the production is close to 1.2 kg/inhabitant/day

The composition of MSW is closely related to the level of economic development and lifestyle of the residents. In different districts of the same city, the composition of MSW will be different. In general, the composition of MSW in Algeria with six major categories of waste was identified: organic matter, paper-cardboard, plastics, glass, metals, and others

Organic matter was the predominant category and represented 62% of waste collected. The other categories were represented as follows: paper-cardboard (9%), plastic (12%), glass (1%), metals (2%), and others (14%) Demolition and construction wastes were not taken into account because they are disposed in uncontrolled open-air sites. The high consumption of fruits and vegetables by the city’s inhabitants could explain the preponderance of organic matter in Algeria’s waste.

Industrial solid waste

According to the National Cadastre for Industrial and Special Wastes prepared in 2007, the overall generation of industrial waste, including non-hazardous and inert industrial waste, is 2,547,000 tons per year with a stock quantity of 4,483,500 tons. This type of waste is generated from the following:

• Steel, metallurgical, mechanical, and electrical industries, which are the predominant sectors (50%);
• Building materials, ceramics, and glass industries (50%);
• Chemicals, rubber, and plastic industries (2%);
• Food processing, tobacco, and match industries (29%);
• Textiles, hosiery, and confection industries (10%);
• Leather and shoes industries (1%); and wood, paper, printing industries (3%).

The hazardous waste which includes waste oil, waste solvents, ash, cinder, and other wastes with hazardous nature (such as flammability, explosiveness, and causticity) generated amounts to 325,100 tons/year. The quantities of waste in stock and awaiting a disposal solution amount to 2,008,500 tons, which are generated by four principal sectors: hydrocarbons (34%), chemistry, rubber and plastic (23%), metallurgy (16%), and mines (13%). Compared to textile (4%) as well as paper and cellulose cement and drifts, food and mechanics produce less than 2%.

The eastern regions hold the palm for the production of ISW in Algeria, with the wilayas of Annaba and Skikda which are characterized by a high proportion of waste generated and in stock (the petrochemical, transportation, and hydrocarbons industries of these regions). The western region is in the second position, because the industrial area of Arzew is the largest generator of waste with 65,760 T/year only for its refinery, followed by the industrial area of Ghazaouet with 18,500 T/year. The central region is characterized by the high production of lead waste (manufacture of battery and refinery)

Healthcare waste

These wastes include materials like plastic syringes, animal tissues, bandages, cloths, etc. This type of waste results from the treatment, diagnosis, or immunization of humans and/or animals at hospitals, veterinary and health-related research facilities, and medical laboratories. HW contains infectious waste, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals, and may contain substances that are geno-toxic or radioactive. HW reach 125,000 tons/year, of which 53.6% is general waste, 17.6% is infectious waste, 23.2% is toxic waste, and 5.6% is special waste, with waste generation rate 0.7 to 1.22 kg/bed/day, in which 75% to 90% is non-clinical waste and 10% to 25% is clinical waste

Waste management situation in Algeria

During the past decades, environmentally sound waste management was recognized by most countries as an issue of major concern. Waste management is an important factor in ensuring both human health and environmental protection

Policy and planning: The Ministry of Land Planning and the Environment (MATE) is primarily responsible for national policy environment.

Implementation and operation: AND has the mission to support the local communities in SWM and to promote activities linked to integrated waste management.

Practice of waste management:

1. Municipalities are fully responsibility for the management and control of municipal solid waste.

2. The Ministry of the Interior and Local Communities is for financial and logistical support to the municipalities.

Control and regulatory implementation: The Directorate of Environment of each wilaya (governorate) controls and regulates the implementation of the management services.

Staff training: The National Conservatory for Environmental Training does the staff training.

Policy and planning

Municipal Solid Waste Management National Program (PROGDEM): Launched in 2001, it has already made the development of many SWM projects (municipality master schemes, landfills, etc.) possible.

Industrial and Special Waste Management National Program: This program aims at the control and disposal of special industrial waste and potentially infectious healthcare waste.

Solid waste management

In general, elimination is the solution applied to 97% of waste produced in Algeria. Wastes are disposed in open dumps (57%), burned in the open air in public dumps or municipal uncontrolled ones (30%), and controlled dumps and landfill (10%) insuring both human health and environmental protection. on the other side, the quantities destined for recovery are too low: only 2% for recycling and 1% for composting

Open dump mode: In Algeria, the elimination of household and similar wastes through the implementation of open and uncontrolled dumps is the most common mode used, with a rate of 87%. According to an investigation by the Office of Ministry of Land Planning and the Environment, over 3,130 open dumps have been identified in the country with an area of approximately 4,552.5 ha. The majority of these dumps are characterized by almost similar geographical locations. They are located along rivers, roads or agriculture lands. The other common point is that most of these dumps are almost saturated and cannot practically receive waste.