Workshop eyes at addressing industrial pollution

Addis Ababa, April 17(ENA)-- A two-day consultative and awareness-raising workshop on the preparation of standards for industrial pollution control in Ethiopia kicked off here on Thursday.

The workshop would discuss the provisional environmental emission standards prepared by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and enrich them prior to submission to the government for approval.

EPA Deputy General Manager, Desalegn Mesfin said on the occasion that industrial development activities should always take in to account environmental conservation with a view to protecting the health of the people.

The purpose of the introduction of the standards is to prevent significant industrial pollution and setting its limits so as to make it environmental friendly, he said.

Technical advisor of Ecologically Sustainable Industrial Development Project with UNIDO, Tekuam Tesfamariam said on his part that the most of manufacturing industries in Addis Ababa are simply discharging their effluent into nearby water bodies, streams, and open ditches without making any treatment.

Absence of treatment technologies within the local industries and the establishment of some factories near residential areas have contributed their share in the pollution of water, soil and air in most of the towns in the country, he said.

Tekuam said the implementation of environmental quality standards requires the equipment of factories with the necessary pollution treatment facilities.

Representatives of the federal and state environmental protection authorities, factories as well as other stakeholders were attending the workshop jointly organized by EPA and UNIDO.

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