Background The control of industrial waste and pollution in Lebanon is limited. As a result, industrial activities have a significant impact on the environment, and industrial development is not sustainable. The Ministry of Environment (MoE) has mobilised significant resources to implement a comprehensive national strategy including new industrial emissions standards and a compliance action plan for existing industries. Nevertheless, initiatives for the promotion of cleaner technologies have been rather limited. Promoting cleaner technologies and cleaner production will help industries reduce waste and pollution at the source and thus comply with the new standards. In Lebanon today, there is a real need for an institution that can provide services and advice on cleaner production. Objectives The overall objective of this project was to reduce industrial pollution and waste at the source through the increased application of cleaner production. Introducing Lebanese industries to cleaner production will offer several win-win advantages in reducing industrial waste and pollution at the source and promoting sustainable industrial development. The specific purpose of the project is to establish a unique institution in Lebanon that will offer comprehensive services and advice on cleaner production: the Lebanon Cleaner Production Centre (LCPC). The project aims to lay the foundations of the LCPC and achieve four main results in a two-year period: 1. Establish a competent and operational team to promote cleaner production; 2. Increase awareness of cleaner production; 3. Conduct several in-plant demonstrations on the applicability of the cleaner production approach; and 4. Train a group of national experts in developing and applying cleaner production in industry. Results The LCPC project laid down the foundation of cleaner production activities in Lebanon. By establishing the Lebanese Cleaner Production Center (LCPC), basic capacities have been built that are likely to have an impact beyond the project's duration. Several industries have started to integrate the cleaner production concept at their installations, establishing a new trend that will have long-term benefits for the environment in Lebanon. The project has also served as a good demonstration. Through in-plant CP assessments, implementing cleaner production measures is shown to have significant economic benefits. A number of cleaner production measures have been implemented by the 12 demonstration enterprises that took part in the in-plant assessments. The following financial savings were recorded: $217,000 in the agro-food sector; $50,000 in diary sector and $252,000 in the cardboard. The LCPC has created many CP experts and equipped them with tools, such as CP methodology, CP sector guidelines and case studies, which will enable them to perform future CP assessments at Lebanese industries. Finally, the project has contributed to the creation of eco-jobs and successfully mobilised key stakeholders including universities, industrial associations and governmental bodies, by involving them in consultations, awareness raising and training initiatives.