JEDDAH — The director of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) branch in Makkah province said over 20 factories were closed last week for violating environmental regulations and standards, the Saudi Press Agency reported Thursday. In a statement to the press, Abdullah Ahmad Al-Jazea said the majority of the factories closed down were located in the southern part of Jeddah. He said they did not adhere to environmental standards and did not obtain environmental licenses qualifying them to carry out their activities. Al-Jazea said these factories carried out various activities, including refining used oils and remanufacturing iron. He lauded the role of the PME inspection teams in ensuring factories do not violate regulations protecting the environment. He said that in line with the directives of the PME inspection patrols and supervision teams were increased. Al-Jazea called on citizens to report any environmental violation through the PME's toll-free number 988. At the same time, he lauded the support of the Makkah and Jeddah governorates for PME's work.
