DOHA: Following complaints about scrap dealers and workshops dealing with hazardous waste in a harmful manner, the Ministry of Environment has issued a warning to such shops not to store or recycle old car batteries without a licence from the ministry.
Storage, dismantling and reassembly of old car engines without permission from the ministry is also considered violation of the law, said the ministry.
Law No. 30 of 2002 has classified these materials as hazardous waste and laid down strict rules for their handling.
A licence was made mandatory for shops dealing with scrap material, including batteries, to ensure that it was not handled in a way that causes harm to humans, animals and plants as well as the environment, a local Arabic daily reported yesterday.
The daily quoted several members of the Central Municipal Council (CMC) calling on the authorities to control illegal practices in this sector and intensify monitoring of all workshops and scrap dealers.
By issuing a licence, the ministry can identify the shops and check if scrap material is handled properly. The licensed shops are supposed to transfer the scrap, especially batteries, to a recycling plant in Mesaieed so that it can be cleaned and recycled in a safe and scientific way, said the daily.
The ministry is also concerned about the possibility of recycled material being exported to other countries. If they were not recycled properly, they could be faulty and returned to the source, harming the country’s image.
The CMC members have said that there are many shops handling hazardous materials without a licence from the ministry.
Hamad Saleh Al Hol suggested that the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning and the health authorities should work together to find a mechanism for safe disposal and recycling of such materials.
Ahmed Al Sheeb proposed issuing temporary licences to shops dealing in scrap to legalise their status and assess their performance before a permanent licence was issued to them.
He noted that most car wash outlets were disposing of waste water, grease, and oil in the public sewage network and this should be prevented because this can be harmful to the environment.
THE PENINSULA
