POLLUTION

clouds of dust and chemicals emanating from the town's cement factory.
The problem is most visible during the dry months of summer, from April to
September, as surrounding orchards become coated with layers of cement dust.
With the arrival of the winter rainy season, the grey-looking trees are washed
clean, but residents’ health problems are far from over.
Doctors Said: the rate of children suffering from respiratory problems is
higher than elsewhere in the kingdom,
Medical staff at the town's government-run health centre say cases of
severe allergies, asthma and skin problems are on the rise.

Adib Akroush, head of the National Society for the Protection of Nature, said emissions of toxic
gas from the factory exceed the limits set by the World Health Organisation and violate the laws
and regulations of the country’s National Authority for Resources.
"La Farge is implementing advanced environmental procedures in its factories around
Europe. When a truck leaves the factory it is properly sealed, even washed, so cement
dust does not fly around. But it does not seem to care in Jordan," Escander said.
The factory has been at the heart of a dispute between residents and the government
since it was established in 1954, but its existence was tolerated because of its limited
production capacity at the time and because of its contribution to the local economy by
providing jobs.

A sudden surge in production in the nineties when the company became privately
owned put town residents on high alert. They began demanding an immediate
improvement in environmental conditions at the facility, including the proper sealing of
loaded trucks and a more controlled use of dynamite in mining. They also sought to
have the factory relocated to a desolate site in the vast Jordanian desert by 2010.
 The present study focused on the use of cypress tree bark as an environmental indicator of
heavy metal deposition in Fuheis City, Jordan, and the evaluation of the impact of emissions
from the cement industry in the adjacent environment. Tree bark samples were collected from
four directions (north, south, east and west) in the vicinity of the cement factory. The samples
were analysed for heavy metal content: Mn, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, and Fe. The results
showed variations in heavy metal concentrations between sites. The levels of heavy metal were
divided into three groups: mean concentrations of Co and Cd ranged from 1 to 4 mg/kg; Mn,
Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and Cr ranged from 9 to 109 mg/kg; and finally, Fe ranged from 2238 to 3393
mg/kg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqwV6L1SGFE