Saudi Arabian police forces already protect their citizens. Starting next year, they will also protect the environment.
Last week the Saudi Arabian Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) announced that police precints across the country would be receiving green policy guardians who would perform inspections and ensure compliance with environmental standards.
According to PME President, Prince Turki bin Nasser, the green guardians are currently being discussed with the Ministry of the Interior and are scheduled to be on the streets within a year.
Prince Turki bin Nasser also said that “over the past two years we have studied the damage inflicted on the environment by service stations in the kingdom.” The investigations have led to the discovery that many gas stations in Saudi Arabia illegally dump used oil and other hazardous waste.
The PME has announced that, as a result of its studies, it would be inspecting gas stations to make sure that they are complying with environmental standards that help reduce pollution from leaks. Government studies show that leaks in the tanks used to store gas and oil have resulted in groundwater pollution. The pollution affects farms, water wells, and the health of Saudi Arabian citizens.
After discussing the matter with the Ministry of the Interior, the PME made the following decisions about enforcing environmental standards in gas stations:
– Gas stations will be subject to a mandatory annual inspection by PME inspectors
– Gas stations will be required to bore wells so that PME inspectors can collect local groundwater samples
– Certificates will be provided to gas stations that pass the inspections, and without such certificates the stations will not be allowed to operate
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Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
Dumping waste oil and other gas station residues, including batteries, is only part of the story – what about all those cars that are still rusting away in the desert after all those Shiekhs and other wealthy people quit joy riding in them. Some of these cars are high line models like Cadellacs Mercedes Benzes and other similar jobs.
There must be thousands of these cars lying about out there in varous parts of the country.
Great act! I hope it works good from the citizen side too. And all forces are friendly than before.