Sulfur Dioxide in Dbayyeh - Environmental Policing Needed ASAP - Blogging Beirut

Sulfur Dioxide in Dbayyeh - Environmental Policing Needed ASAP

Posted by finkployd in Info
Wednesday, July 13. 2005

Gaseous emissions alarm Dbayyeh residents
Area's inhabitants say 'coal factory' causing health problems

The Daily Star, May 06, 2005

Residents of the Zouk Kharab area in Dbayyeh have been complaining about gaseous emissions and nauseous smells suspected to be originating from a nearby coal factory.
The town's residents have repeatedly tried in vain to urge the authorities to put an end to these emissions, which they say are causing respiratory illness among the area's children and elderly.
One resident said: "We have been suffering regularly at night from chest tightness and shortness of breath."
Commenting on the issue, Dbayyeh Mayor Kabalen Ashkar said: "The edifice in question is a site for packing coal and not for manufacturing it."
But he confessed that "the owner of that edifice, Eli Mojaaess, has built a big depot, ignoring the permit he was granted to build only a tent and restore an old room."
But as packing coal reportedly does not cause odors similar to those residents are complaining of, their origins remain a mystery.
An expert from the Environmental Hotline has visited the area and detected the presence of sulfur dioxide - a dangerous air pollutant - in the air. High concentrations of the gas not only pose significant health threats, mainly on the respiratory system, but also cause serious environmental problems.
Hazarding a guess at the source of the emissions, the expert has come up with a theory of how coal is in fact being produced in Zouk Kharab.
The expert believes imported coal is first chopped and packaged for sale. The remains are next grinded into a thick paste by adding substances such as sulfur or gun powder. The paste is then cut into pieces and dried in a furnace. As the pieces are passed continuously through a drying oven, some of the coal burns in the fire of the furnace emitting sulfur dioxide.
The expert insisted that "the mixture in the air of sulfur dioxide and carbon soot resulting from grinding leads to even more serious effects on health."
But the owner of the alleged coal factory has spoken to the team from Environmental Hotline, refuting all accusations leveled against him.
Mojaaess said disputes within the municipality led an unknown party to burn trash close to his storehouse so that he gets the blame for the smells and emissions.
He stressed that he produces clean and natural coal mixed only with non chemical, plant-based glue, adding the coal is dried by sunlight in the open air.
The environmental team did not, however, notice during their tour of the factory the presence of any solar driers. But they did find a large container and a chimney, which could be a proof coal remains are indeed being burned at the factory.
According to Environmental Hotline, if nothing is done to stop the emissions, residents could begin to suffer from serious respiratory illnesses.
To solve the problem, the organization suggests moving the coal factory to a location outside the residential district of the area. It also proposed adopting cleaner methods of production, which are not only better for the environment, but also cheaper. -dailystar

-finkployd

Join the conversation :) Click here to Comment Now!

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

blog comments powered by Disqus

No comments

Blogging Beirut Comments

Rosanna M. about Interior Minister Ziad Baroud increases traffic fines by 300%

Mon, 14.03.2011 21:53

Firstly, the fines are a perfect deterrant for people. Let me let you in on a little secret: THIS IS CALLED BLIND JUSTICE!! Lady justice is a perfect dipiction; she wears a "blindfold which r [...]

Rosanna M. about Interior Minister Ziad Baroud increases traffic fines by 300%

Mon, 14.03.2011 21:53

Firstly, the fines are a perfect deterrant for people. Let me let you in on a little secret: THIS IS CALLED BLIND JUSTICE!! Lady justice is a perfect dipiction; she wears a "blindfold which r [...]

3ammo about Double Parked Police Car Blocks Beirut Highway

Thu, 10.03.2011 13:55

how does someone contact Ziad Baroud? It's not like he's accessible! He's the Interior Minister!

anon about Double Parked Police Car Blocks Beirut Highway

Thu, 10.03.2011 13:41

send this pic to baroud and he will take action

Maxx about Naqoura Road Trip

Tue, 08.03.2011 13:56

Love the pictures. Amazing photos and lovely places. Naqoura is my home town and I feel more home sick than ever :)

zee about Do You Love Me - Music Video of Old Lebanese Song

Sun, 06.03.2011 00:37

i think this song belong's to SabaH's relative cousin i think, his last name faghally i am trying to ramamber his full name, he is lebanese he has another good song goes like,, haw can i live if [...]

pommel braidy about Live @ The Basement - Beirut - JADE

Mon, 28.02.2011 01:22

yes, i have to say the best club in lebanon,for the fist year..........

Kazamaza about REAL Civil Disobedience in Lebanon

Fri, 25.02.2011 18:21

correct, but you miss the point. 1) the less important point: technically speaking, you can scan the stub only once, and modify it photoshop also once to produce many stubs to cover the enti [...]

Wassim about REAL Civil Disobedience in Lebanon

Fri, 25.02.2011 11:06

Interesting! however, for me, the time spent on scanning and photoshoping and printing the ticket is worth more than the 500 LL i was going to pay

Matt Dahl about The Scorpion City - Duma, North Lebanon

Wed, 09.02.2011 06:18

I am an American whose great-grandparents Amen Soffa and his wife Nazera Kimmel (sometimes spelled Lazera Cammel and various other ways) came to America in the late 1800s. I am looking for anyo [...]

berbara about Berbara : the Real Halloween : a Lebanese Tradition

Tue, 08.02.2011 23:17

i am from algeria my name is olso berbara jamel..hope you are ok you and your family...

anon about I Love #Jan25 Stickers Campaign goes Live!

Fri, 28.01.2011 14:34

wow, how'd you stumble upon this?

Nasaki Bineshe about I Love #Jan25 Stickers Campaign goes Live!

Fri, 28.01.2011 08:00

We the Native Americans support our brothers and sisters in spirit who are struggling for Freedom and Justice in Egypt. May the Great Spirit guide and bless your endeavors. El-Hamdallah.

Ahmed about ExxonMobil MENA Scholarship Program

Fri, 28.01.2011 03:26

On fb, an egyptioan guy said he was selected as a finalist on January 26th..I am still waiting for a feedback ..what about your friend ? Btw, the workshop is in Abu Dhabi :)

jose salem,md about Dear Mr. President [Michel Suleiman of the Lebanese Republic]

Sun, 23.01.2011 14:52

saludos.. yo no soy politico ni hizbi.. soy libanes muhajjar waiting to back to my country libnan sine lon time.. now i know is very dif. situation for you mr president,we hope that you demopstr [...]

Fadi about Waseet breaks taboos with Massive Enlargement Ads (NSFW)

Sun, 23.01.2011 13:29

Is it just me or does the first ad aim to enlarge your Balls ?! Who would ever want to do THAT ?!

laila about ExxonMobil MENA Scholarship Program

Thu, 20.01.2011 21:35

Thank you for the information! I was just wondering how much time it takes to give a feedback to the applicants. One of my friends applied by the January 3 deadline and she still didn't get any [...]

AGree about UNacceptable : Review of Play as seen in Theatre Monot

Wed, 19.01.2011 12:56

I just stumbled on this review and I totally agree with you. I nicknamed this play the "UNacceptable play" and I still rave about how horrible it was. I love the theatre - but this kind of self- [...]

tanya about to Photographers: Win the Yellow Car!

Fri, 14.01.2011 20:27

Dear Sir is there more competitions for 2011?

ahmad naboulsy about Lebanon from the word 'White Capped' - Panorama

Fri, 14.01.2011 07:47

sannine the best freindly mountain ( allah ylhallih b3id 3an iden the ennemies of pure nature)

.Nina about Goodbye Glass Café - Naharnet

Wed, 12.01.2011 22:00

Good work. Money seems to bulldoze beautiful buildings in capitals round the globe. So inspiring to see young people involved in this action. Nina

fadi about UnWrapping Beirut's First Parking Meter! how to rage against the machine

Thu, 23.12.2010 11:53

do you have a site to check if I have fine ? because I paid about 12 tickets some are 10,000 and some about 40,000LL . I called the employee she shsid still 5 tickets ,and it will cost me 200, [...]

william choukeir about keeping the curtains open, William Choukeir goes public

Wed, 15.12.2010 22:12

thank you samer for reposting this, i'm honored. notes have been getting amazing feedback! i'm humbled by the whole experience. i would also like to announce the new "nicer" link which makes [...]

araibia bilel about Les Filles du Basement

Sat, 11.12.2010 02:18

salut l'amitié c'est savoire tendre l' oreille sans juger .ouvir son coeur ,vraiment l' écouter .partager ensemble ses joies , ses peines est ses doutes aimer sans arriére pensée , juste suivre [...]

Adham about Paul Frank in Lebanon

Wed, 08.12.2010 17:49

That's very good news I didn't know that, I became a fan of Julius the Monkey around 4. However, is this a stand alone store like the one they have in NY, or store that sells Paul Frank. It does [...]

anon about Double U SAL rapes Lebanese for a profit while Apple watches (Nov 9 '10 UPDATE 11)

Thu, 25.11.2010 18:44

ra7 ib3atlak wa7ad 3a baytak tay farjeek what ya walad

George about Double U SAL rapes Lebanese for a profit while Apple watches (Nov 9 '10 UPDATE 11)

Thu, 25.11.2010 15:50

So what if this info is available.. In what can it harm you??? People should be able to find out these things... so what hein? so what?>

Robin Sandh about this is what facebook does to you every day

Wed, 17.11.2010 18:17

If you think facebook is invading your personal privacy don't go online, or get registred. On allmost every site in the world the owner of the site gives you the question "do you accept these te [...]

beirut about Ehden Reserve - Mihmiyyit 2ehden

Tue, 16.11.2010 18:15

Thanks for the post. I have been wondering what is all about the Ehden Reserve. I am just trying to learn as much as I can about Beirut before I come out and visit. I really want to as soon as I [...]

zara jott about Blogging Beirut sets Lebanon / Levant blog record with 80 million hits

Tue, 16.11.2010 12:17

mabrouk samer and all the best from berlin! sarah