[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="City Council, private firms join hands in fight against pollution" ids="81483,81479,81480,81482,81478,81481"] IN the face of the growing threat to environment, the Municipal Council of Jeddah is planning to forge partnerships with private sector companies and agencies to accomplish what the municipality has failed to achieve. "We'll focus our efforts on tackling environment pollution," said Dr. Khaled Aseeri, a council member who described the environmental problem as an intricate one involving various factors and forces. According to the World Health Organization, more than four in five urban dwellers worldwide live in cities that do not meet anti-pollution guidelines. These include 56 percent of city dwellers in highly rich countries. WHO's Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database, which covers 3,000 cities in 103 countries, shows 98 percent inhabitants in large cities of low- and middle-income countries face excessively high pollution, which is on the rise in urban areas. The updated data released in May this year also showed more than 80 percent of city residents around the globe are exposed to particulate pollution in doses that exceed WHO's recommended limits. And Saudi Arabia is no exception. The WHO's 2014 report on air pollution included the Saudi capital in the list of cities suffering the worst levels of air pollution. Riyadh's inclusion in the list was attributed to frequent sandstorms and pollutants arising from heavy traffic and industrial waste Experts estimate 12 million vehicles on the Kingdom's roads use 811,000 barrels of fuel daily. Mamdouh Ibrahim, an environmental expert, said air pollution is largely connected to the increase in the number of vehicles. In order to cut down the emission of harmful gases, citizens need to be educated about ideal driving to help reduce fuel consumption and subsequent air pollution. Another environmental irritant resulting from the millions of vehicles plying the Kingdom's streets is abandoned parts and used tires. Jeddah Municipality decided to get rid of nearly 10 million tires abandoned in streets and public places after the council cautioned it about the danger posed by them to the environment. "We intervened when the municipality decided to burn the abandoned tires in order to dispose them of. We prevented the municipality from going ahead with that plan fearing it would pollute the environment further. We wanted the tires to be recycled in a safe manner. We are now awaiting the municipality's reply to our proposal," he said. An Al-Madina reporter who visited various parts of Jeddah saw abandoned tires, vehicles, construction waste and pools of dirty water all over the city. He also witnessed sewage being dumped in the Gulf of Salman and Arbaeen Lake in downtown Jeddah. According to Dr. Ali Eshqi, a former professor of ecology at King Abdulaziz University, marine pollution along Jeddah's shores has gone beyond the allowed global benchmark. He said Red Sea beaches from the south to the north are contaminated, threatening the safety of people living close to the seashore. "The Red Sea with waves of pollutants and giant pipes that pour contaminated water into the sea is no longer a pleasant view," Eshqi said, adding that water in the sea has lost its color and splendor. Referring to the pollution of Gulf of Salman, Aseeri said the municipal council was in contact with the General Authority of Meteorology and Environment and the National Water Company to tackle the problem. "The council will work as a connecting point for various agencies. We'll sign agreement with the NWC to establish a rainwater drainage system. We also want to allay fears caused by the municipality's garbage dump," he told Al-Madina. Dr. Eshqi urged the authorities to protect the city's environment in order to safeguard the health of its residents. "Arbaeen Lake still poses a big threat to the health of Jeddah's residents. People throw garbage and dump sewage in it," he said. The lake has become a breeding ground for diseases, Eshqi said, urging the municipality to clean it regularly and prevent people from throwing garbage in it. He said the mixing of various types of garbage would produce poisonous chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide. "We have seen this pollution not only in Arbaeen Lake but also in other lakes in Jeddah such as Shabab and Khumra. As a result, the city is covered by poisonous methane and hydrogen sulfide gases. The dumping of sewage in the lake will breed disease-carrying bacteria," he said. The authorities should have a clear plan to get rid of garbage in the city without causing any damage to the environment, Eshqi insisted.
