Aqaba: Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) conducted 502 field environmental inspections on industrial and craft facilities, detecting 2,865 violations, according to Head of Environmental Protection and Sustainability Directorate, Taghreed Maaytah. During a meeting chaired by ASEZA Chairman, Nayef Fayez, Maaytah stated that the directorate’s key achievements over the past period reflected a development in environmental performance, at the levels of monitoring, assessment, quality projects, and community awareness.
According to Jordan News Agency, Maaytah noted this milestone is part of the authority’s efforts to build an integrated and sustainable environmental model in the port city of Aqaba. Ships for importing bulk coal have pledged to comply with ecological standards, with 59 approvals issued to receive marine waste, underlining ASEZA’s commitment to marine environmental safety.
To date, 16 environmental impact assessment studies have been conducted to ensure future projects adhere to environmental protection standards from their early stages. Additionally, the directorate granted 1,103 new environmental approvals and intensified its oversight over industrial and port facilities, focusing on the handling of hazardous materials.
The directorate also carried out seismic studies at 12 industrial facilities to ensure compliance with the 2022 Earthquake Code, integrating environmental safety and preventive engineering methods. Under the “Towards a Plastic-Free Aqaba” initiative, 500 eco-friendly tote bags and 800 paper bags were distributed, 10 awareness lectures were held in schools, and 82 field visits to pharmacies were conducted.
Maaytah remarked that the initiative aims to promote a sustainable environmental culture that reduces reliance on plastics and replaces them with environmentally friendly alternatives.