The three-day program, in which 15 workers in the field of environment protection will be trained on modern techniques to prevent pollution and protect the environment, began on Saturday.

“At present there are no pollution observation facilities in Jeddah except the few stations operated by Saudi Aramco and the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Protection (PME).

Various PME studies have revealed the rising level of air and water pollution in the city. The pollution is mainly attributed to emissions from vehicles and industrial establishments, which is further complicated by the climate,” one academic told Arab News on the sidelines of the training course organized by the Jeddah municipality.

They warned that oxides of nitrogen and phosphorous and airborne organic components combined with the dwindling level of ozone posed a serious threat to the environment in Jeddah. These toxic compounds also cause heart and liver problems and possible brain hemorrhages.

Abdul Wahid Al-Zahrani, director of training and development at the municipality, said the course focused on monitoring three aspects of environment protection.

“The training will be on monitoring the methods to prevent pollution in general, including the eradication of harmful creatures and insects and the maintenance of general cleanliness,” he said.

Supplying further details on the training program, he said the participants will be trained on how to monitor the effectiveness of methods employed in factories and sewage systems to prevent air and water pollution.

“They will also be trained on inspecting garbage dumping grounds, locations of stagnant water, emission of gases and effluents without proper treatment. They will also learn how to enforce environmental regulations and how to deal with waste in factories,” the official said.

The course will also discuss fighting harmful creatures and insects without damaging the environment.

The participating workers will be trained on monitoring cleaning operations such as the collection of garbage from streets and districts, their timings, receiving reports about locations where garbage is accumulated. They will also learn how to evaluate and prepare reports about the performance of cleaning companies.