{"article":{"id":203215,"heading":"Gov't to establish waste treatment plant in Zarqa","author":"Mr Roger K. Olsson","created":"2007-07-19 08:40:47","modified":"2007-07-19 08:40:47","last_modified":"Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:40:47","article":"<p>Wednesday, July 18, 2007\r\n \r\n \r\nAMMAN, Jul. 18, 2007 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- \r\nThe Ministry of Environment on Tuesday announced plans to establish a treatment plant for medical and hazardous waste in the Zarqa area.\r\n\r\nThe plan was announced during a workshop to discuss the ministry's 2007-2009 strategic plan.\r\n\r\nMinister of Environment Khalid Irani said the strategy focuses on several significant pillars, including the disposal of medical wastes.\r\n\r\n'The ministry's efforts, in cooperation with the health sector is represented mainly by managing medical waste,' Irani told the participants, who included representatives of governmental and nongovernmental organisations.\r\n\r\nThe three-year strategy also seeks to increase the percentage of medical waste that is treated in a environment-friendly way.\r\n\r\nThe strategy's major goals include developing regulations and policies to preserve the environment, reinforcing regulations and inspections on industrial facilities, and upgrading awareness raising programmes, among others.\r\n\r\n'The environment sector is not a separate entity from other development sectors, but rather a fundamental member in the economic and social growth process,' Irani said.\r\n\r\nThe minister urged the Ministry of Agriculture to encourage farmers to invest in environment-friendly agricultural practices and to provide them with incentives to use organic fertilisers.\r\n\r\nEarlier this month, the ministry called on Jordan Valley farmers to stop using untreated fertilisers which attract domestic flies and cause health and environmental problems.\r\n\r\nIn the transport sector, the minister said the strategy mainly focuses on reducing the use of leaded petrol in preparation for a complete shift to unleaded petrol by the beginning of next year.\r\n\r\nThe ministry will also prepare an integrated plan for rehabilitating the Zarqa River basin and help set regulations to protect water sources from pollutants.\r\n\r\nThe ministry has also initiated several projects to address the Zarqa River, which is severely polluted due to wastewater leakage, effluents from factories and sewage systems.\r\n\r\nNewstex ID: KRTB-0261-18211760\r\n\r\n\r\nDelivered by Newstex LLC  \r\nvia theFinancials.com <\/p>\n","contact":"rogerkolsson@yahoo.co.uk","link":"http:\/\/giuen.wordpress.com","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"Giuen Wealth Field","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2007\/07\/203215.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}