Overnight patrolling of industries in Tehran Province has commenced from the last week of December to monitor the units due to the increase in harmful air pollutants, according to the general director of the Department of Environment (DoE) Mohammad Hadi Heidarzadeh. The monitoring will continue till the end of the calendar year (March 20).
“As per the plan, industrial emissions will be controlled by DoE’s patrol squads in 7 main industrial estates and 5 minor industrial zones,” he said.
According to several complaints by residents in the vicinity, many industries and factory units don’t observe environmental standards on air pollutants and industrial discharges; nor do they observe standard methods of waste disposal, Mehr News Agency reported.
Many of the industries also turn off their filtration systems after work hours since there is a misconception that “there is no control on them overnight.” However, the attempt by industries to increase production capacity and reduce running costs by resorting to this measure causes irreparable damage to the environment,” he said.
Cooperation
Heidarzadeh also appreciated the judicial cooperation in the field of addressing environmental crimes and harsh sentences to violators of the laws. “This indicates the importance given by the judiciary to the national environment and public health,” he asserted.
Given the high number of industries which are active in Tehran (about 30,000 units) and shortage of control equipment, transport vehicles and personnel, “we appeal to the people to inform us about industrial violations,” Heidarzadeh said.
In the monitoring process, waste water outlets, filtration systems, online monitoring systems, the methods of waste removal will be controlled and any violation including turning off filtration systems will be dealt with according to the law, he added.
