UAE | Environment
More than 2 tonnes of industrial waste 'found near Khor Fakkan'
More than two tonnes of steel industry waste was discovered in Khor Fakkan when residents on the East Coast alerted authorities to putrid odours.
- By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 March 1, 2006
Dubai: More than two tonnes of steel industry waste was discovered in Khor Fakkan when residents on the East Coast alerted authorities to putrid odours.
However, claims of poisonous or toxic water off the coast of Khor Fakkan were denied by local divers and environment organisations.
More than two tonnes of potentially dangerous waste was found buried not far from residential areas probably dumped illegally by a factory, said officials from Khor Fakkan Municipality.
East Coast divers told Gulf News on Tuesday morning that no pollution had been detected in the ocean and no warnings had been issued to stop activities involving the sea.
Mohammad Saif Al Naqbi, Director of Khor Fakkan Municipality, said the waste was found in an old and deep hole.
The waste, packed in 500kg bags, consisted of steel waste and black sand mixed with oil and weighed up to 2.5 tonnes.
Al Naqbi said this kind of waste comes from factories or big workshops and the only workshop in the city is in Khor Fakkan Port.
"Waste cannot be brought out of the port without permission from the municipality.
"This means that someone has, without knowledge or permission from the environment department, broken the gates and dumped the waste in a hole," he said.
A team from the Federal Environment Agency (FEA) was sent to Al Luluiah in Khor Fakkan, where the waste was disposed of.
Dr Salem Masari Al Daheri, Director of the FEA, said the local municipality took samples of the waste for analysis at the Sharjah Municipality laboratory.
According to Cabinet decision 37 on environmental protection and hazardous material and medical waste, strict conditions and standards for disposing of hazardous waste have been laid down.
The law stipulates strict punishment with a jail term or a fine or both.
Al Naqbi stressed that the Ministry of Environment and Water would refer those involved to the judicial authorities once found.
The Port and Customs Department of Khor Fakkan Port said the port follows strict procedures.
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