Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.17
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
Stopping gasoline production by petrochemical units has increased the amount of "clean days" in Tehran by 25 percent, Iran's Shana news agency reported on October 17.
Saeed Motesaddi, the deputy director of the Iranian Environment Protection Organization, said the administration has taken great steps toward the protection of natural environment.
"One of the most important steps was to stop the production of gasoline by petrochemical units," he said.
It should be noted that last year, according to PSI (Pollutant Standards Index), Iran had 147 days during which air quality was substandard. Two years ago, this number stood at 217 days. Tehran ranks as Iran's first most-polluted city.
The air over Iran's capital is amongst the most polluted in the world. Experts say many Iranians suffer serious health problems as a result. Motor vehicles account for 70 percent of pollution in the Iranian capital.
Previously Mehr news agency quoted managing director of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company Abbas Kazemi that one of the reasons behind increasing cancer cases in Tehran and other large cities is that domestic-produced gasoline in Iran's petrochemical sites cause cancer.
In recent years, three petrochemical complexes were producing gasoline in Iran to meet the domestic need under the international sanctions imposed on the country's oil sector.
Iran then announced production of gasoline in domestic refineries should be halted due to high pollution, and 10 million liters of gasoline should be imported instead.
According to the country's oil ministry, Iran's petrochemical complexes will not produce gasoline and octane booster anymore. The country's gasoline consumption is around 65 million liters per day.