by Hana Namrouqa | Jul 31, 2012 | 23:54

AMMAN — The Ministry of Environment has referred an industrial company to the South Amman Court of First Instance for breaching environmental regulations, according to government officials.

The company manufactures aluminium and is located in Zizya, a town in Amman Governorate 35 kilometres to the south of the city centre, Environment Ministry Spokesperson Isa Shboul said on Tuesday.

“The company had been warned several times before about emitting excessive fumes and disposing of industrial water and solid waste in undesignated areas, thus violating health and environment regulations,” Shboul told The Jordan Times.

Environment Minister Yaseen Khayyat said that the ministry had referred the company to court because its administration had not rectified health and environmental infringements within the allotted time period.

Khayyat underscored in a statement issued on Tuesday that the ministry is serious about enforcing the law.

“The ministry is intensifying monitoring over industries and workshops across the country… we will not hesitate to shut down or refer to court any industry that compromises the safety of the environment and public health,” the minister highlighted.

Under environmental regulations, violators are either referred to court or issued a warning and given a chance to rectify the situation, failing which they are closed down.

The ministry also issued warnings to three hospitals in Amman and Zarqa this month for improperly disposing of medical waste, Khayyat noted.

“The hospitals were issued warnings for breaching our environmental regulations, which stipulate segregating medical waste from domestic waste,” Shboul noted.

The central region, which comprises Amman, Zarqa, Balqa and Madaba governorates, produces up to 70 per cent of the medical waste generated in Jordan, according to official figures.

http://jordantimes.com/manufacturer-referred-to-court-over-environmental-violations