Caring for the environment: Qatalum arranged fluoride seminar

Environmental and health aspects of fluoride exposure are almost unique to the aluminium production industry. Since Qatar has no history of aluminium production, the country has no national air quality standards for fluoride.

SEMINAR: The seminar was well attended by delegations from many different organizations in Qatar. (Both photos: Maha Soliman Hamad Soliman/Qatalum)

Reviewed international standards

As a part of the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) approval received by SCENR (Supreme Council for the Environment & Natural Reserves), Qatalum was requested to review international standards and suggest how these could be adopted to the Qatari situation.

A seminar to illuminate the subject was arranged at the Sheraton hotel in Doha yesterday. Qatalum's Deputy CEO Hassan Al-Rashid welcomed the audience and gave a brief presentation of the Qatalum project and its environmental commitments. Dr. Per Arne Drabløs presented research results related to occupational exposure to fluoride in the aluminium industry and the measures taken to prevent health effects.

Chief environmental engineer Leif Ongstad presented international air quality standards and Qatalum's proposal for a Qatari standard. Finally Dr. Alan Davison presented research results related to fluoride effects on vegetation and animals, international guidelines for environmental protection, and outlined how the fluoride could be monitored in the vicinity of the smelter. Involvement of the local scientific community was emphasized as important, due to the uniqueness of the Qatari environment.

From left: Leif Ongstad, Dr. Per Arne Drablos, Hassan Al-Rashid and professor Alan Davison.

Many participants

The seminar was well attended by delegations from amongst others SCENR, MIC (Mesaieed Industrial City), NHA (National Health Authorities), MMAA (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture), MLSA (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs), the Hamad Hospital, scientific institutions as well as other industries from MIC and Ras Laffan.

There were many questions and comments from the audience, which were addressed by the speakers. Following the discussions, Director Yousif Al-Hamar of SCENR's Technical department thanked Qatalum for the arrangement, and suggested a way forward to finally establish standards / guidelines and monitoring framework.