Since 2019, Crown Agents have undertaken debris clearance activities from 124 public sites along the east line of the Euphrates river in Deir-Ez-Zor. Crown Agents carried out extensive survey mapping of damaged structures in 39 towns and villages in the Deir ez-Zor governorate, identifying public buildings in need of debris clearance.

The debris clearance activities included:

1. Risk assessment and development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure safe and efficient operations. These include SOPs for discovery of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), hazardous waste and materials, discovery of human remains.
2. Procurement of equipment and recruitment: warehousing, personal protection equipment (PPE), tools, plant equipment and recruitment of mobile labour teams.
3. Staff orientation and training.
4. Site surveys: Photographic recording of sites prior to work, geotagging, quantification of debris, quantification of hazardous materials, estimation of resources required, technical constraints, identification of landfill site for debris, investigation of circumstances of destruction and beneficiary engagement.
5. Approval process in consultation with contracted civil engineer.
6. Debris removal and reporting.
7. Ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
8. Debris sorting between general waste and recyclable debris to use in the rehabilitation of dumpsites and restoration of roads, pavements, and bridges.

Cash-for-Work Programming

The Monitoring & Evaluation findings from Crown Agents waste management and debris clearance programme noted it as the largest Cash for Work scheme in North East Syria.

The scheme was stated to be hugely beneficial for the 405 participants, acting as the sole income for 98% of those surveyed (200 participants). Prior to the cash for work scheme, 96% of those interviewed reported that ‘lack of work opportunity’ was the main barrier to obtaining employment and 87% reported that ‘salary or wages were too low’ as the top challenge to obtaining enough money to meet household needs.

The economic opportunities from delivering waste management services have had far reaching effects, not only on the health and hygiene of the community, but on the livelihoods of those hired, with health/medical items (36%), food items (23%), shelter maintenance (20%) and debt repayment (19%) as the top items purchased with the income received.