Moving sulfur from refineries to storage facilities and keeping it in open-air spaces are among the polluting sources in Asalouyeh, Bushehr Province. It has contaminated the air and soil, the provincial head of Department of Environment said.
“DOE has filed lawsuits against oil, gas and petrochemical plants in the region for storing sulfur in the open. Few, if any, verdicts have been issued so far that can help us strongly protect the environment,” Farhad Qolinezhad was quoted as saying by ISNA.
Building roofed warehouses is on the agenda energy companies…they should have started constructing such storages long ago, he added.
Safe storing facilities is a must to ensure that sulfur doesn't harm the environment.
Sulfur is huge quantities is produced, stored, melted and used in Bushehr Province, the majority of which is transported in bulk on trucks. The chemical is often stored in the open at terminals ready to be loaded onto ships, cargo trains and trucks, or at plant sites to be melted and used in the production of sulfuric acid. Most sulfur stocks are kept in the open where it is exposed to wind, rain, dust and salt air.
The situation in Bid Khun, a village in Assalouyeh, is so bad that residents cannot donate blood. Government officials in the region strangely claim that this has nothing to do with pollution and blame malaria in the area.
According to the official, meetings have been held with oil and petrochemical firms and they have been provided with specific guidelines on how to store and transport the polluting chemical. Nonetheless, the problem lingers on as energy firms normally fail to take environmental issues seriously.
“Traffic police have also been told to stop trucks carrying sulfur without paying attention to special protocols on how the job should be done.”
Qolinezhad reiterated that challenging oil companies over ecological concerns is like a losing battle as they have more influence and power.
Vicious Cycle
Referring to a long and vicious cycle, he said the DOE has often energy firms to court. “They are usually found guilty for not observing environmental norms and fined. The firms pay the penalty and the vicious cycle continues.
“This is not the way we can protect the environment. We need support.”
Bushehr’s DOE chief urged the media and environmentalists to help and do their fair share in protecting the environment because the “DOE alone cannot do much.”
Sulfur, a brittle material, is easily spread in the air while loading, unloading, transportation and storage. It irritates the respiratory tract and increases the risk of tract infections. The toxic chemical causes coughing, mucus secretion and aggravates conditions such as asthma and chronic bronchitis.
The official added that at least $1.2 billion is needed to tackle pollution and help protect the people and flora and fauna in Assalouyeh.
Referring to the completion of projects to reduce pollution, namely collecting flare gas in gas and petrochemical plants. “A lot has been done in the past 10 years, but the problem is so immense that it cannot be handled easily and in the short term.”
A comprehensive plan has been prepared to help check pollution in the region that is home to Iran’s first nuclear power plant.
“The plan has been approved by the government and I hope it can address the deep concerns,” he said without providing details. He concurred that the plan has “more than its share of opponents.”
Highlighting the scale of environmental and human costs, he said a special committee has been set up to deal with the issue.
The situation in Bid Khun, a village in Assalouyeh, is so bad that residents cannot even donate blood. However, government officials in the region claim that this issue has nothing to do with pollution and blame malaria in the area.
Studies conducted by Shokrolah Farokhi, head of assessing pollution in Bushehr University of Medical Sciences and his team on 200,000 people in Assalouyeh and neighboring regions show the prevalence of asthma and eczema (dermatitis) among students is 11% higher than the national rate and those in the Middle East.
Heavy metals (lead, mercury and arsenic) have been traced in the urine of elementary school children, indicating exposure to high pollution.
