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About a month ago, the city of Bouznika began experiencing a severe environmental crisis due to the accumulation of waste in its streets and neighborhoods. The crisis erupted after the contract for delegated sanitation management with the company AVERDA expired in April 2025.
The interruption of waste collection services was caused by a delay in approving a new contract with sanitation company SOS by the Ministry of the Interior, resulting in a near-total halt to sanitation operations.
«Patchwork» Solutions in the Absence of Official Management
The municipality of Bouznika came under heavy criticism for its handling of the situation, particularly for the delay in submitting the technical study required to secure a new contract. Speaking to Yabiladi, the Mayor of the Urban Municipality of Bouznika Tarik El khiari admitted that the study had been sent to the Ministry of the Interior within a «tight timeframe», which contributed to the current impasse.
The study, prepared in collaboration with the Ministry, led to a call for tenders that attracted three companies: SOS, ARMA, and AVERDA. The contract was awarded to SOS. However, the Ministry expressed reservations about the proposed budget and requested a reduction, leaving the municipality in limbo as it prepared a revised study.
In the meantime, the municipality turned to temporary measures using its limited resources, actions that human rights advocates described as «patchwork solutions».
«We made simple efforts with what we had. Although we managed to collect small amounts of waste, the sheer volume made those efforts seem insignificant. Had we done nothing, the streets would have been completely overrun with garbage. What we did was merely a temporary measure», El khiari explained.
He also noted that the municipality contacted the Ministry of the Interior to seek approval for an exceptional negotiated contract. Preliminary approval was granted on Tuesday. As an immediate response, the municipality brought in three trucks to begin collecting waste while working toward a permanent solution.
Local Observatory Sounds the Alarm and Blames the Municipality
On the other hand, Badr Dahhak, Secretary-General of the Bouznika Observatory, sharply criticized the municipal council for failing to submit the technical study before the previous contract expired, calling the resulting situation an «environmental disaster».
He described Bouznika as having turned into an open-air landfill, with foul odors and toxic waste spreading throughout the city. Some residents, he added, resorted to burning garbage, releasing toxic fumes that pose serious health risks—particularly for children and the elderly.
Sanitation workers, who were to be retained under the terms of the new contract, also found themselves without work after the AVERDA contract ended, and no new operator took over. In response, they organized a protest to voice their frustration.
Dahhak confirmed that the municipality has since secured a purchase order for temporary sanitation services for ten days and signed an exceptional negotiated contract lasting six months—a mechanism previously used in similar situations.
«We hold the municipal council fully responsible for failing to act in a timely and appropriate manner, leading to this environmental catastrophe that is affecting both residents and visitors», Dahhak said. He called for an urgent investigation into the crisis and emphasized the public’s right to transparency and accountability.
This is not the first time Bouznika has faced a waste accumulation crisis. Last summer, a similar situation unfolded as the contract with Ozone neared its end. Although the municipality had prepared a study to launch a new contract, the Wali of the Casablanca-Settat region proposed a six-month negotiated agreement with AVERDA, which has now expired—bringing the crisis full circle.
