Asbestos Waste Management in the MENA Countries

Each year countries from the Middle East and North Africa import large amount of asbestos for use in the construction industry. As per the last known statistics, the Middle East and Africa accounted for 20% of world demand for the material. Iran and the United Arab Emirates are among the biggest consumers of the material. Infact, the entire Middle East has been steadily increasing their asbestos imports, except for Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which are the only two countries that have placed bans on asbestos but with questionable effectiveness. Iran alone has been reported to order 30,000 tons of asbestos … Continue reading

Gas Flaring in Iraq: A “Burning” Issue

Ever since crude oil production started in the 19th century, gas flaring and venting were born with it. Companies and even some governments found associated gas a nuisance that had to be flared and vented if continued and increasing crude oil production was to be achieved. But the value of gas as a source of energy and its environmental benefits were gradually realised and some governments introduced regulations to limit gas flaring to the minimum. However, the problem is still with us and the World Bank estimates that in 2017 gas flaring was at a level of around 140 billion … Continue reading