TEHRAN – The air pollutants in Iran’s gas industry will be reduced by 70 percent over the next three years, Gholamreza Bahman-Nia, head of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC)’s Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) department, said.

Bahman-Nia announced the prevention of the release of about 180 million tons of air pollutants in the previous Iranian calendar year 1399 (ended on March 20) and said: “70 percent of pollutants in the country's gas industry will be reduced in the next three years.”

Speaking to Shana on Sunday on the occasion of World Environment Day, the official said that NIGC has defined long-term programs for protecting the environment and to reach world standard levels in environment protection, especially in South Pars region.

Bahman-Nia also stressed the positive impact of natural gas supply development on reducing air pollution and said: “Natural gas, as the cleanest fossil fuel compared to other fossil energy sources, has less pollution per unit of energy production, hence the development of gas industry and replacing heavier fossil fuels with natural gas will help reduce air pollution in practice and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well.”

The priorities of National Iranian Gas Company are to maintain the national resources and the environment, he stressed.

The official further mentioned the implementation of programs related to green management, defining  and implementing projects related to the management of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, completion and improvement of systems for collection, treatment and disposal of effluents and sewage, implementing new projects for reducing water and energy resources, periodic monitoring of air and wastewater pollution, and several project for collecting flare gases as some of the measures taken by the NIGC for reducing negative environmental impacts.

To establish, develop and continuously improve the HSE management system, all National Iranian Gas Company directors, supervisors and other staff members are accountable to extend their efforts with unanimity agreement and cooperation in realizing these objectives, he stated.

EF/MA