Environmental task forces to tackle Zarqa pollution
Jordan Times
June 17, 2007
Hana Namrouqa
AMMAN -- The Ministry of Environment will set up special task forces to address Zarqa Governorate's environmental problems.
"Zarqa Governorate poses major environmental challenges as it is home to several environmental hotspots, which require exceptional efforts to improve the situation there," Minister of Environment Khalid Irani said during a recent meeting of the ministry's planning committee.
He added that enhancing cooperation and partnership among concerned ministries, institutions and the private sector would help tackle some of the worst problems affecting the area.
Zarqa is home to 52 per cent of the country's industries. Phosphate accumulation and emissions from the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company are among the governorate's major environmental problems.
The area is also affected by emissions from the Al Hussein Thermal Station, industrial wastewater, and the dust from brick and stone quarries.
Irani said cleaning up the Zarqa River will be the starting point for tackling these issues.
As part of its emergency plan announced early this year, the ministry will establish a treatment plant for industrial wastewater generated from factories along the river's banks.
So far, it has created a system to limit the random dumping of wastewater into the river and conducted maintenance work on drainage systems in Zarqa and Amman.
The plan also includes the establishment of a 21-kilometre sewage pipeline from the west Zarqa pumping station to the Khirbet Al Samra plant between the Zarqa and Mafraq governorates.
A new slaughterhouse will also be established, as the current Greater Amman Municipality facility is considered one of the river's main pollutants.
Zarqa will witness several projects worth JD50 million during the next few years that aim to improve the governorate's environment.