Jeddah mayoralty and the Civil Defense have been urged to monitor gas stations, which have mushroomed in populated areas posing health and safety hazards to residents. Gas stations are like ticking time bombs, said Freq Al-Khayat, former chairman of the Safety and Security Committee at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There are more than 450 gas stations in Jeddah alone, employing 2,400 workers. The mayoralty, in consultation with the Civil Defense, is responsible for issuing licenses to open gas stations. Yet most of these gas stations were found to be flouting the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs regulations, which stipulate that gas stations should be located at least 25 meters away from residential areas, hospitals and schools. “The regulations say that each gas station must have a security supervisor to organize the entrance and exit of vehicles and must train staff for contingencies,” said Al-Khayat. Mohammad Ali, a Jeddah resident who lives next to a gas station in Al-Rihab district, said that most gas station workers do not even know how to operate a fire extinguisher. Besides being safety threats, these gas stations also pose health risks. Methyl tert-butyl ether or MTBE used to raise the octane number has been found to cause lung diseases in people in constant exposure to gasoline. Dina Mosali, a biology lecturer at King Abdulaziz University, conducted a four-year study on the ways in which the lungs and livers of white mice were affected by MTBE, which has replaced the lead in Octane 91 fuel. She discovered that overexposure to MTBE may cause lung diseases. Mosali called for banning stores selling food and drinks and cafeterias near gas stations because, as she said, hydrocarbons evaporate quickly and can contaminate food. She also recommended implementing a self-service system at gas stations, creating awareness among gas station workers, and providing workers with masks and gloves and regular medial checkups. She recommends those living near gas stations to drink water in which Ajwa dates have been soaked, in order to treat pulmonary fibrosis caused as a result of inhalation of Octane 91. __
