Ajman, April 30: The Ajman Municipality and Planning Department has closed 12 big oil and petrochemical plants since the beginning of this year to help manage oil and petrochemical wastes.
Shaikh Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the municipality, told Khaleej Times on Thursday that the decision to close down these plants was taken by the Executive Council as the emirate does not have a landfill to dispose of such wastes and since improper disposal would have resulted in environmental problems.
“It’s true, we are not having a landfill in Ajman where wastes can be disposed at present. That is why we have asked some big oil petrochemical companies that do not have good private waste management means to stop operating,” he said. The municipality has also shifted several petrochemical companies from the old industrial area to the new industrial area in Al Jarf, where there are fewer residents, to minimise effects of environmental problems.
He also said that they have formed a joint committee with Ajman Civil Defence to conduct inspections in all factories and warehouses to ensure that they are meeting all fire safety requirements, including disposal of wastes properly as improper disposal could result in big fires, especially in the case of petrochemical wastes.
–Agencies