UMM AL QUWAIN // Management at an oil-recycling plant that has been blamed for a foul smell affecting residents have been given two months to clean up or be shut down for a second time.
Oil Tech, which is based in the Umm Al Thuob industrial area, has been told by UAQ Municipality to carry out more cleaning and maintenance on machinery to stop the smell reaching Mistrel Villas, about 8 kilometres away.
The sulphur-like smell was first noticeable in March last year.
It is the second time officials have acted on complaints by families in the Emaar development, near UAQ Marina. The smell has also affected workers in a nearby labour camp.
Ghanem Ali, head of the Public Health and Environment Department, said that after an investigation into residents’ complaints the factory was ordered to close down for about two months until it was brought up to environmental standards.
The municipality blamed the odour on evaporating chemicals and byproducts in piping and storage. A cleaning company was brought in to resolve the problem.
But the smell returned this year and became so bad that about 15 families moved out of the 277-villa development, according to Tammy Grant, an American property agent. “This particular smell is becoming worse,” Ms Grant said.
The remaining residents told The National they were worried about the effect of the smell on their families’ health.
They said the strength of the smell depended on wind direction and weather, but it was constant at night.
Some complained that they woke up with a burning sensation in their chests, which led to coughing and vomiting.
“I have been here now for three months, and over the last four weeks it has been getting worse and like clockwork every evening,” said D S, 46, a British business manager.
“We had no idea when buying the house that this was going to happen.
“My wife is three months pregnant and I am increasingly worried about what effect chemicals in the air could be doing to the baby.
T V, also from the UK, said she has been suffering from a cough since she moved to the area because of the chemical smell. “I am coughing all the time because of that,” she said.
Acting on residents’ latest complaints, Mr Ali said officials from UAQ and Ajman municipalities visited the complex and installed emission and air-quality sensors.
“After reading the results it turned out that the source of odours was released from a process of recycling oil at one factory,” Mr Ali said.
“The department has warned the factory and asked to obtain an environmental performance certificate within two months from the date of the report or it will be closed.”
An official at Oil Tech said it had submitted the paperwork and certificates to UAQ Municipality.
“UAQ Municipality came a month and a half ago to check the smell,” he said.
“We had submitted the certificate and the problem had been solved.”
roueiti@thenational.ae