September 13th, 2009 @ kadraoui // No Comments
قال عدد من بحار جزيرة النبيه صالح أمس السبت : إن لون مياه ساحل النبيه صالح تغير لونھا إلى الأحمر بسبب ماتضخه محطة مياه الصرف الصحي الموجودة في خليج توبلي من ملوثات
وأضاف البحارة: أن الكميات التي تضخھا محطة الصرف الصحي من الملوثات تنتقل إلى السواحل المجاورة إلى خليجتوبلي عبر التيارات المائية التي تشترك فيھا عدد من الخلجان
وذكر البحار علي حمزة أن حالة تغير لون الساحل ھي حالة يشھدھا البحارة بين فترة وأخرى، و خصوصا أن محطة الصرف الصحي تلقي بكميات كبيرة من الأوساخ والمخلفات في خليج توبلي الذي تقوم التيارات المائية فيه بنقل ھذه المخلفات إلى السواحل المجاورة
أما فيما يتعلق بنفوق الأسماك فأشار حمزة إلى أنه قبل يومين تقريبا نفقت كمية بسيطة من سمك الجواف، إلا أن حالة نفوق الأسماك توقفت من آخر حادثة والتي مضى عليھا أسبوع تقريبي
August 10th, 2009 @ kadraoui // No Comments
BAHRAIN is to launch a nationwide study to calculate the country’s air and sea pollution levels. The eight-month project, due to begin next month, will include a complete environmental assessment of the air and sea quality, said Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife director-general Dr Adel Al Zayani. It will measure transboundary pollutants – those coming from neighbouring countries, and pollutants produced by Bahrain, mainly from automobiles and industries.
The study is the first of its kind to be conducted in Bahrain and is being rolled out in line with the country’s Economic Vision 2030. “It is a study that will calculate the accumulative impact of pollutants in air and water because we want to find out the current capacity of pollution,” he told the GDN.
“The study will show the exceeding pollutants and the impact of them. “This will be a planning tool that can be used to decide if additional industries can be accommodated in the country.” Dr Al Zayani said the study was mainly concerned with recording the total amount of pollutants in the country.
The reason given was that even if Bahrain’s industries and automobiles were individually complying with the national standards the overall amount of pollution, along with that coming from neighbouring countries, could push levels above those allowed.
“We have, for example, the problem of ozone pollution coming from neighbouring countries day and night,” explained Dr Al Zayani. “We are not isolated and we must base our calculations on what is coming to us regionally and globally.
“The study will make it clear to us our next step for managing the whole situation in the future.” Dr Al Zayani said based on the results of the study the commission may request the Industry and Commerce Ministry to only allow additional industry investors that would not contribute further to pollution levels. The commission could also request existing industries to comply with the study’s recommendations by reducing particular pollutants if they were found above the national level permitted or to help reduce the country’s overall level. Dr Al Zayani said industries asked to reduce their emissions would be given adequate time to adjust. “We must get measurements to find out what is acceptable or not acceptable and this study is our tool, he said. “We have international commitments but e ven without them we are committed to our environment. “We should comply with this standard, we need to think of our commitments to the environment and human health – every one is living on this planet and they need to be considered. “We have a big challenge facing the world of climate change and any reduction in pollutants will help.
“Human health in general is very important and also animals and plants are part of the ecosystem.” Dr Al Zayani said the commission was looking at contracting US experts to conduct the study. They would calculate and evaluate the existing data on pollutants and conduct field surveys to fill in the gaps. From this they will come up with a model that will give the maximum levels for each pollutant based on international standards. “Now we have individual information but it is scattered. “We have information for water and air but we want to update it with modern calculations,” said Dr Al Zayani. “They will propose the best standards for Bahrain and they will teach our staff also so they will be updated with the latest knowledge.”
becky@gdn.com.bh
July 9th, 2009 @ kadraoui // No Comments
THIS is in response to the letter ‘Stench still there” (GDN, July 2) over sewage or chemicals being pumped into Tubli Bay. Bahrain is a highly-polluted country and this is a known fact. So, it is not surprising that there are foul smells in different areas. Didn’t you notice that for this reason, there are no public beaches anywhere near the populated areas? The authorities know what they are doing and do not want water diseases to spread. This situation is not going to change unless something dramatic is done. So, the best thing perhaps is to find an apartment in Zallaq, if you intend to hang around in Bahrain for sometime. Zallaq is a sorry strip of wasteland by the way, but it’s much less polluted than the other places.
Ahmed