Addis Ababa, December 27, 2007 (Addis Ababa) - Garbage and toxic materials that come from service providing organizations and factories existing in the City of Addis Ababa has been further increasing the pollution of the environment, the Metropolitan Administration Mayor said.
The Mayor Berhane Deressa said unless the waste materials are disposed safely, they would incur an immense damage on the environment.
He was speaking to participants of a workshop organized under a theme “Industrial Development and Environmental Protection” by the Metropolitan Environmental Authority in collaboration with Henry Vol Foundation to discuss environmental issues.
The Mayor said separating those garbage that can be recycled and those that should be disposed is absolutely necessary to minimize environmental pollution.
Environmental Protection Authority Director General Dr. Tewlde-berhan Gebre-egziabher told journalists that environmental pollution has been increasing in the country from time to time.
He said the public at large should mobilize themselves and be involved in the safe disposal of garbage, as the government could not tackle the problem alone.
Dr. Tewelde-berhan said this is the time to act before the environmental pollution takes its toll.
Regarding the toxic materials being emitted from factories, he said a bill that governs the disposal of waste materials has already been issued.
Some factory owners have been exerting to dispose their waste materials from their factories since the enforcement of the law, he said, adding that the efforts being made in this regard as a whole is not satisfactory..
T-2:45-3:15 PM
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