Damascus Petrochemical Refinery, the company project helps keeping clean and healthy environment.

Damascus Petrochemical Refinery is interested in the recycling of used oil. It is considered the only producer of base oil in the region .The production capacity is /30.000 / tons yearly , including the production of base oil with all its kinds light, medium and heavy as well as the production of final oils like engine oils, hydraulic oils, dentate oils and greases. Syria Times met Dr. Ahmad Al Ansari, chairman of Damascus Petrochemical Refinery who said

Syria imports about 150.000 / tons of base oil yearly to fulfill the needs of its citizens in operating the different vehicles and there are no plants that recycle those used oils , so most of those oils are either poured in the  ground or deflation drains or get recycled in small un licensed workshops that harm both environment and consumer. The company project – recycling of used oil – is the only licensed project in the region.

The factory operates according to the European Union Standards, Where all the company products are industrialized on the highest mechanisms in the world. He added

Damascus Petrochemical Refinery works under a fully integrated management system. It obtained the ISO Certificates 9001 for Quality Management System and 14001 for Environmental Management System Presently; the company is preparing to get the OHSAS Certificate 18001: 1999 for Occupational Health and Safety management System.

About the Company’s Activities Al Ansari said: Recently, the company participated in The 5th Syrian Int) Oil and Gas exhibition and The 2nd Syrian Int, Environment Exhibition where it was one of the exhibition, s sponsors. The company was the center of attraction of visitors where many TV and radio stations have visited the company stand.

During the exhibition, I delivered a lecture under the title of” Recycling of used oil and its effects on environment” in which I discussed the importance of recycling of used oil for what these disposals contain of mineral elements and dangerous pollutants for environment and, man. So, the company project helps keeping clean and healthy environment since every liter of used oil would pollute more than one million liters of ground water, and every liter of used oil would kill the ground that is poured in it for four years. Hence, Damascus Petrochemical Refinery has established the Green Establishment for Environmental Protection which works on improving the awareness of people of the necessity to preserve the environment.

Dr. Ahmad Al Ansari, chairman of Damascus Petrochemical Refinery pointed out to The Green Establishment for Environmental Protection. The conception of recycling different disposals is considered as one of the essential requests in the programs of protecting environment has been settled by governments and scientific establishments through conferences and agreements.

The specialized committees have set in Geneva’s conference for preserving environment recommendations and decisions that prevent vessels from pouring oil in seas and oceans Within the frame of many scientific councils, the activities of scholars and scientists and with the supertanker of governments in Europe , America and Japan had showed development and variety in creating successful courses in recycling used oil within different scientific schools to protect environment from one side and achieving an economical victory in producing new and varied base oil that conforms with the international specifications and fits to be used the different vehicles.

The Green Establishment is the first one in Syria which is licensed according to the investment law No /10/ It cares in collecting used oil and forwarding it to the plants and factories that are specialized in recycling used oils according to the international specifications.

It has established a comprehensive and complete schedule and program for all over Syria, in view of the fact that has agents in all provinces that are on the highest level of technical readiness, so with the first contact with them there will be cars to be sent for them to withdraw disposals to the specialized plants.

The job of the Green Establishment is not restricted to its environmental and economical activities only, but it is educational and cultural, so it has established a complete work system to direct society and establishments for the dangers of used oil on environment.

In the field of culture The Green Establishment cares for finding a cultivation to preserve environment and finding a psychological barrier within each citizen to prevent them from wasting used oils through a complete plan and method as giving lectures and seminars in coordination with the Intended ministries and administrations.

In the field of education and high education, all that is mentioned above would be still incomplete if we did not care of educating children since elementary stages to fight wasting the oil and all what would harm the environment. Consequently , the Green Establishment has established a program that is coordinated with the environment, education and high education ministries to find studies , lectures seminars and scientific warn about the danger of wasting oil and to restrict it. In the field of media, the Green Establishment always reminds society with the ambient dangerous of wasting the oil through radio stations and television and mass media. Dr. Ahmad Al Ansari concluded.

Interviewed by: Haifaa Mafalani