Jordan Times
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Shureiqi calls for action plan
to deal with environmental hazards
AMMAN (Petra) — Minister of Environment Yousef Shureiqi yesterday called for the
creation of a national emergency plan to deal with potential environmental
hazards including radiation fallout from the Israeli nuclear reactor at Dimona.
Despite the fact that a recent report concluded there were no unusual radiation
levels emanating from the Israeli nuclear reactor, it is of paramount importance
to have plan in place to deal with any eventualities, Shureiqi told the Jordan
News Agency, Petra.
He said he had submitted such a proposal at a recent meeting of Arab environment
ministers.
Shureiqi said the ministers would submit the idea of an emergency plan on
monitoring radiation levels at the forthcoming Arab summit, adding that any
radiation leakage from Dimona would affect the entire region.
Referring to environment issues in the Kingdom, Shureiqi said the government
would never give its consent to the Jordan Cement Factories Company (JCFC) to
use petcoke in its cement production.
Under no circumstances will the government allow the company to use petcoke, he
said, describing it as a substance that would create more pollution.
However, according to Frederick Jolibois, the company's plant manager in Fuheis,
petcoke has no negative effects on the environment. Jolibois cited two research
studies conducted by the Royal Scientific Society and a Canadian firm to support
his claim.
He told a press conference yesterday that the use of the cheaper petcoke would
reduce production costs significantly due to the current high cost of fuel.
The firm came under fire two years ago from the people of Fuheis and
environmentalists for its proposed use of the potentially hazardous petcoke, an
option the company considered as a means of saving energy.
Earlier this month, the Environment Ministry stressed that it would not hesitate
to take legal measures against the JCFC in case it violated standards and
specifications.
Petcoke is a carbon-based residue used as a feed stock in coke ovens. The
company plans to use it in the production of clinker, the raw material used in
cement manufacturing.