AMMAN - The Ministry of Environment and the Royal Environment Protection Department (Rangers) dealt with 17,674 environmental infractions in 2008, with industrial violations and illegal logging constituting the majority of infringements.

Ministry of Environment Spokesperson Isa Shboul said on Sunday that 76 industries and farms were closed down last year for failing to adhere to environmental regulations, while 17,598 institutions received warnings for breaching public health safety and environmental laws.

He added that the ministry gave another 20 industries and farms grace periods to rectify their status.

“The number of environmental violations addressed last year shows the efforts exerted by the country’s various institutions to limit infringements and address environmental hotspots,” Shboul told The Jordan Times yesterday.

The ministry official noted that there has been an increase in the number of illegal logging violations, a growing threat to the country’s less than 1 per cent green cover.

“This has necessitated the ministry and concerned authorities to step up efforts to protect the forests and curb the number of violations,” Shboul said.

Over the last year, Ranger patrols arrested several violators who had cut down trees during the night and transferred the lumber to the capital, where each tonne is sold for over JD120, even though the practice carries a fine of at least JD100 per tree and a three-month imprisonment.

In a bid to curb illegal logging, the Kingdom’s northern governorates announced late last month new measures to protect diminishing forests.

With over half of their areas covered with trees, agriculture directorates in the Ajloun and Jerash governorates granted local residents free licences to collect dry timber from forests under the supervision of local forest rangers.

In order to reduce air pollution, the ministry and Rangers organised three campaigns in the capital, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone and Irbid, under which thousands of vehicles were randomly selected and tested for harmful gas emissions.

Although new regulations were introduced in October 2007 governing the practice of sandblasting to clean buildings, Shboul said some contractors still continue the practice, despite complaints from citizens and a series of studies showing that particles emitted by sandblasting harm the respiratory system.

Established in 2006, the Rangers work in accordance with 18 active laws regulating environmental affairs and are tasked with protecting the environment by inspecting factories, industrial zones and picnic areas and tracking down violators.

With its patrols and horseback rangers, the EPD checks on industries and vocational institutions’ adherence to environmental regulations and ensures that picnickers do not leave litter behind.

Last month, the department activated a free hotline (195) which receives calls from the Kingdom’s four major mobile operators and whereby EPD-trained personnel respond to public complaints, according to a department source.