A Hot Bay

Originally published on CNN Business Arabic. This story was supported by GRID-Arendal’s Investigative Environmental Journalism Grants programme. Learn more.

By Menna Abdelrazek

Alexandria, Egypt – Imagine if each breath you take, both in and out, becomes a tragedy. You find yourself thinking about the moment when the pungent smell of chemicals from nearby factories overwhelms you, making you struggle until you faint. This is the life of the residents of Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt where children inherit respiratory devices.

Abu Qir Bay could be a promising opportunity for tourism and economic projects due to its rich historical heritage, natural resources, and ports. However, it is facing the challenges of maritime and air pollution from certain companies and factories that are located nearby, as outlined in the research titled “Creating a Tourist Destination through Sustainable Development in the Abu Qir Area.”

Located 35 kilometers east of the city of Alexandria, Abu Qir Bay is used for various human activities, including swimming, shipping, and commercial fishing. It’s also a crucial natural habitat for marine organisms and one of the most productive fishing areas in Egypt.

Abu Qir Bay is situated 35 kilometers east of Alexandria. It serves various human activities, including swimming, shipping, commercial fishing. It is a crucial natural habitat for marine organisms and stands out as one of the most productive fishing areas.

 Abu Qir Bay is grappling with environmental pollution on multiple fronts – marine and atmospheric – as numerous companies discard their industrial waste into the sea and release smoke into the air. This jeopardizes marine life within the bay and has implications for the health of both residents and fishermen, all in violation of Egypt’s Environmental Law No. 4 of 1994.

Environmental pollution is manifested in four main categories of industrial waste: food processing and packaging, paper manufacturing, fertilizer and petrochemical production, and textile manufacturing. The waste from these industries, whether organic or inorganic, is discharged into the sea through pumping stations like Tabia and others. Abu Qir Bay is home to 29 factories, as reported by the Ministry of Environment.

In this investigation, we documented twenty cases from the bay’s residents and the fishermen who have suffered from chronic diseases because of air and sea pollution. Remarkably, even a little 7-month-old child is among those affected. These cases were from four villages: Houd Tesaa, El-Haj Mohamed, Raslan, and the Tabia area.

Nora Hassan, the field survey officer at the Marine Sciences Institute in Alexandria, sheds light on the dire consequences of industrial pollution on the bay’s residents. These resilient individuals have been battling hereditary, chronic diseases for years, so much so that the pollution has become a compelling reason for many to abandon their homes.

Maha, a mother in her thirties, pulled from her wardrobe an heirloom passed down by families in Houd Tesaa village in Abu Qir. It wasn’t money or property, but rather a worn-out respiratory device that families in the village inherit to conduct breathing sessions for children suffering from chronic chest allergies.

Manar, the eight-year-old girl, became a casualty of the hereditary disease in the village. Visiting Abu Qir Hospital, located roughly an hour away, has now become an essential daily routine for her. She needs to undergo ten-minute respiratory session every three to six hours, repeating this pattern two to three times daily.

To make matters worse, Manar and others can’t escape air pollution as their primary schools are located adjacent to the Abu Qir fertilizer company.

The residents can’t bear the stench that sweeps over the village every few hours—a combination of ammonia emissions from fertilizer production and other odors stemming from the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries.

While visiting the village, an overpowering stench enveloped us, making it nearly impossible to breathe properly for nearly fifteen minutes. Spending just a day in these villages is sufficient to encounter breathing problems that linger for days.

During the early to mid-1950s, the Bay started encountering notable volumes of agricultural and industrial runoff, along with sewage water. Subsequently, multiple sources of land runoff have impacted the features of this Bay, as outlined in research presented in the Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research in 2013.

The World Bank identified two environmentally vulnerable areas in Egypt that are the most ecologically fragile: Lake Marriot and Abu Qir Bay. Lake Marriot received a grant for restoration that was implemented starting in 2010, but Abu Qir Bay did not receive the same level of attention.

Dr. Salah Soliman, an international expert in environmental affairs, explains that one reason is the wind patterns in Lake Marriot, which transport harmful emissions from the area to other regions in Egypt.

Research in the “Engineering Journal” of Alexandria shows that the Nile Delta region is at high risk in Egypt and globally. It also highlights that the Abu Qir area faces significant dangers from the rising sea levels in both the Nile Delta and Egypt as a whole.

Environmentally polluting companies place an economic burden on the state. The World Bank’s 2022 report points out that the human and economic costs of air pollution and the deterioration of seas and coasts are immense, estimated at over 3% of Egypt’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while the annual average cost of marine pollution is around 0.8% of the GDP in the Middle East.

Researchers from the “Marine Pollution Bulletin” journal in 2022 analyzed around 99 sites along the Mediterranean coast in Egypt. The study revealed that Abu Qir Bay is among the top four sites with the highest and most dangerous pollution.

Research conducted by the “National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries” in 2021, titled “Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Abu Qir Bay Waters and Sediments”, found that both the bay’s waters and beach sediments are contaminated with heavy metals. The pollution is attributed to industrial and agricultural discharges along the bay, particularly in seven highly affected areas.

The toxicity of heavy metals is attributed to their ability to oxidize or degrade easily, causing significant harm to the marine environment, which affects the sustainability of organisms and consequently public health.

We have reviewed numerous scientific studies that explore the bay’s pollution by heavy metals. The latest, published in the “Elsevier Journal” in February 2023, is titled “Ecological and human risk assessment of heavy metals at Abu-Qir coastline”. It highlights the existence of heavy metals in the bay, some of which pose cancer risks for children due to elevated cadmium levels surpassing safe thresholds. Additionally, the metal concentrations in waste from oil and gas drilling are notably high, impacting the sediment around the marine environment.

The study emphasizes that this technique helps shed light on polluted hot-spots resulting from industrial activities such as mining, fertilizers, petroleum, electricity, and agricultural activities.

Another research paper published in the “Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research” in January 2023 states that there are three land-based sources of pollution resulting from industrial and agricultural waste and sewage from three main outlets: Tabia pumping station, Lake Edku through the Al-Maadiya channel, and the Rosetta Branch outlet.

Dr. Mohamed El-Alfi, a contributor to the research from the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Alexandria, shared that they examined the levels of heavy metals at seven spots in the bay. He highlighted their discovery of mercury in coastal zones, typically originating from farming waste and electrical industries. In contrast, cadmium traces back to agricultural waste and fertilizers. Elevated mercury concentrations were particularly evident near agricultural operations and the vicinity of Lake Edku (specifically the Al-Maadiya area).

When we asked about the differences in the results of heavy metal proportions between his latest research and the one, he participated in back in 2013, Dr. El-Alfi explained that some metal ratios had increased while others had decreased, but there wasn’t a significant change.

We contacted the media office of the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, and Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad responded officially to questions from “CNN Business Arabic.” She mentioned that the ministry has established a program since 1998 to monitor the quality of the Mediterranean and Red Sea waters, which includes physical and chemical variables. She also mentioned that there’s an annual water quality index to monitor the environmental status.

She stated, “We do not deny that there were periods when the situation was not good in some areas of the Mediterranean Sea. However, the environmental monitoring and observation program has shown a noticeable improvement which is occurring alongside the implementation of control initiatives in numerous establishments along the Mediterranean coastline, particularly in the Abu Qir region.”

Manar isn’t the only child suffering from chest allergy. We interviewed another afflicted family, spanning generations from grandparents to embryos. Amin, a 32-year-old driver, reveals that his entire family grapples with chronic illnesses. His mother, sister, two daughters, and even his 7-month-old baby face serious health conditions.

Ragaa, Amin’s 48-year-old mother, began suffering from asthma episodes in her twenties, triggered by chemical odors. Presently, she contends with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and endured three amputations on her right leg.

Whenever the odor of chemicals pervades the air, they hurry to seal doors and windows and shield their faces with cloth. Ragaa reveals that they frequently lose consciousness due to that odor.

The situation has taken a new turn, as respiratory illnesses are now affecting younger generations. Sarah, Amin’s wife, reveals that their 18-month-old son, Ahmed, has been contending with lung enlargement since he was a fetus. He slipped into a complete coma after breathing the ammonia scent from the fertilizer factory.

They hastily took him to care facilities located approximately 18 kilometers away from their home, about two hours away, because the nearby health centers do not admit these cases. Consequently, young Ahmed spent two weeks every month in the hospital during his first year.

According to the World Health Organization, the average exposure to fine particulate matter causing chronic diseases should not exceed 15 micrograms/m3 over a 24-hour period for more than 3 to 4 days a year.

However, residents of Abu Qir are exposed to an annual average of 40 micrograms/m3, while the daily average peaks around 80 micrograms/m3 at 3 PM and decreases at night, according to measurements from the specialized air quality measurement app “plume labs.”

The most hazardous heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and mercury, have a profound impact on both the environment and human health, as outlined by the UN Environment Programme. Exposure to mercury, for instance, can harm various organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system of individuals of all ages. Additionally, the nervous system of children can be affected, leading to diminished cognitive and learning abilities.

Even at low levels of exposure, lead can hinder the neural development of children. It can also have adverse effects on the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and digestive system. Meanwhile, cadmium exposure can lead to lung irritation, kidney disorders, bones weakness, and may even increase the risk of lung, prostate, and kidney cancers.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration highlights that heavy metals such as cadmium and lead are the most likely pollutants to cause harmful biological effects in the Abu Qir Bay, as reported in an Egyptian study published in the scientific journal ‘Environmental Earth Sciences’.

Rather than receiving toys for Ahmed to share with others, a small respiratory device was donated to his family. Initially requiring daily sessions, Ahmed’s condition improved over time, resulting in fewer sessions needed. With the option of visiting a nearby health center, his mother donated it to a critically ill newborn, stating, ‘There are others who are in greater need.’ This act has now become a cherished legacy passed among the children in these villages.

Amin’s sister mentioned that her daughter, Nagham, has a cardiac lesion due to excessive pollution exposure. Their homes are situated close to pollution sources. She continued, her daughter is prohibited from any exposure to pollution, but there’s little they can do.

The villagers, especially in the Tabia area, made numerous attempts to lodge complaints. Among them was Ashraf Abdel-Salam, who collected grievances from locals after losing his foot due to various illnesses caused by industrial pollution, yet these efforts proved futile. In 2019, Member of Parliament Mai Mahmoud promised to lead a team to the Tabia area to investigate residents’ complaints about pollution in the sea. The investigation confirmed sea contamination and its color turning black due to waste accumulation. However, no changes were evident when we visited the area this year.

In the case of mercury concentration rates exceeding 0.71 micrograms per gram, its impact on the environment is extremely severe. Meanwhile, if cadmium records 1.2, its impact is low, and at 9.6, it’s considered moderate, according to the minimum estimates by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on heavy metals.

Mercury levels in most of the Bay increased by 21.83 at the Rashid outlet and 0.85 at the Maadiya area. Cadmium recorded a rate of 2.10 before the Maadiya area and 1.89 in the petroleum activity area.

The pollution affecting the marine environment in the Abu Qir Bay extends beyond heavy metals. A study titled “Detection of Thermal Pollution in the Abu Qir Bay” points to the discharge of large quantities of high temperature cooling water, leading to thermal pollution. Measurements of sea surface temperature were taken at two subsequent time points (before and after the operation of major industrial companies like Abu Qir Power Station and WPECO), revealing that many of these industrial activities release significant amounts of high-temperature cooling water, resulting in thermal pollution in the Abu Qir Bay.

Dr. Mohamed Attia, a marine chemistry professor at the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, and his colleagues, stated that there is an increase in the levels of oxidized organic matter found in both seawater and sewage water, reflecting the substantial amounts of organic matter discharged through the Abu Qir outlet from various industrial companies.

A study by “Marine Pollution Bulletin” indicates the presence of dioxins, persistent organic pollutants, in certain fish species such as dentex, gold band goatfish, and rabbitfish in the Abu Qir Bay, especially in fish protein.

Long-term exposure to these dioxins can lead to immune system disruption, endocrine system disruption, hindered neurological development, and reproductive dysfunction. Dioxins primarily originate from industrial processes, according to the World Health Organization.

Bedour Osama, a professor at the Center for Environmental Studies at Alexandria University, states that despite slight improvements, pollution levels have led to a shift in fish populations and a decrease in fish diversity. This pollution has also caused changes in water temperature and salinity, impacted fish habitats, and caused the disappearance of several fish species.

Ahmed Radwan, a professor at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Alexandria and a participant in Bay pollution research, notes that certain fish species have been affected by pollution due to their prevalence in the Bay. These species are commonly consumed by Egyptians, such as tilapia and mullet. He highlights that one of the most polluted sites in terms of fish is the Maadiya area near Lake Edko.

A research study published in the “Scientific Journal of Health and Pollution” unveiled the consequences of heavy metal pollution in the Bay on 50 residents of the Maadiya region, including 40 professional fishermen aged 20 to 55. Through blood tests, the research gauged the presence of hazardous heavy metals like cadmium, lead, chromium, copper, zinc, and more. Results indicated elevated lead and cadmium levels in the fishermen’s blood compared to the local population’s average.

The study highlighted the accumulation of heavy metals in the components of the ecosystem (such as air, soil, and water), and the human exposure risk increases among industrial workers and individuals living near polluted areas.

These heavy metals in the blood cause severe oxidative stress, manifested by elevated levels of malondialdehyde, which causes inflammation, and a significant decrease in antioxidants.

The heavy metals negatively affect various systems of the fishermen’s bodies, including the heart, blood vessels, respiratory system, salivary glands, immune system, and reproductive system. Moreover, prolonged exposure and accumulation of heavy metals in the body can lead to disturbances in oxidative stress genes, thus increasing susceptibility to chronic diseases.

In October 2011, as part of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment project for the Integrated Management of Coastal Areas in Alexandria, an upsurge in environmental pollution was observed in the sea waters, agricultural lands, and air due to the presence of hundreds of public and private companies and factories in the area. The Ministry of Environment mentioned several names of companies and factories that contribute to polluting the sea and the air.

The Ministry further stated that some companies indirectly dispose of their solid and liquid waste into Abu Qir Bay through the Ammia drain in the Tabia area, most of which are textile, dyeing, and chemical companies.

The Ministry of Environment informed CNN Economy that “19 out of 29 companies do not discharge into the Bay, while eight companies discharge into the Ammia drain, which means there is no direct discharge into the Bay except by Abu Qir Fertilizers Company, with which we have adopted a modern control system.”

Through our field visit and using Google Earth maps, it was evident that the Ammiaa drain discharges directly into the Bay. In addition, many researchers documented direct discharges from fish farms and agricultural drains into the Bay.

The Ministry indicated that “efforts have led to the suspension of companies like Rakta Company and Ahliya for Paper, Spinning, and Weaving Dyeing,” but it was later found that Rakta Company was halted due to accumulated financial losses in recent years, according to local news.

In its 2022 environmental status report, the Ministry of Environment mentioned conducting inspection campaigns in several areas, including Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria and Behera Governorate.

Yasmine Fouad, the Minister of Environment, promised in press statements that the industrial wastewater crisis in Abu Qir Bay would be resolved by June 2022, especially the ammonia pollution by Abu Qir Fertilizers Company. The ministry also supported several companies through the Industrial Pollution Control Project with low-interest loans and grants.

However, during a visit to the Tabia area and nearby villages in March 2023, the ammonia pollution crisis had not been resolved.

The Ministry of Environment pointed out that Egyptian law regulates emissions standards for various industries, particularly the fertilizer industry. A comprehensive amendment was made in 2011 to align with international standards. The ministry required Abu Qir Fertilizers Company to install continuous monitoring devices within the company’s premises to monitor ammonia concentration and ensure that leaks do not exceed the allowed limit.

The Ministry states that it works with companies to reduce industrial pollution discharged into the sea. However, currently, no one, including researchers, is allowed to monitor or film the discharge areas of these large companies. We were unable to visit these discharge sites or enter the Abu Qir Company during our field visit.

A researcher from the Institute of Marine Sciences, who requested not to be named, mentioned difficulties in filming the pipes discharging onto the Bay shores and that no one can enter the factories.

The Ministry of Environment is also striving to take steps to rectify the situation. It stated that it contributed to the implementation of a project to establish an industrial wastewater treatment plant and reclaim 85% of the treated water for reuse in irrigating trees and green areas, aiming to reduce ammonia and total nitrogen pollution loads to achieve full compliance with the executive regulations of Law No. 4 of 1994 as amended by Law No. 9 of 2009 concerning discharges into seas and saline water bodies. The project had a cost of 24 million Euros, with funding of around 16 million Euros from the Ministry’s Industrial Pollution Control program.

The Ministry also participated in funding the project to establish an industrial wastewater treatment plant for Al Mamoura Paper Company, which relies on the recovery of raw materials and wastewater, as well as the implementation of a biological treatment plant for Qaha Food Company.

Children in Abu Qir villages are still being born with incomplete lungs and lung enlargement, leading to chronic respiratory diseases. These children bear the burden of disease because of the gains made by giant companies, causing a negative impact on the Egyptian economy due to efforts to combat the effects of industrial pollution, climate change, and patient care.

When asked about the critical health conditions of the residents of Abu Qir villages, especially children, the Ministry of Environment responded that it is “in the process of issuing the executive regulations for the Waste Management and Regulation Law as a comprehensive law for all sectors, which we hope to activate significantly in the coming period. The ministry also supports the role of corporate social responsibility for large establishments towards the surrounding community and monitors them through the required periodic reports from these companies.”

The Ministry did not respond to our question about recent scientific research published by environmental institutions in Alexandria, indicating that the levels of some hazardous heavy metals have not changed. Also, they did not respond to the construction of two schools for children inside the Abu Qir Fertilizers Company.

We attempted to contact Abu Qir Company through the company’s website email but received no response until the publication of this investigation. We also contacted the media spokesperson, Abram Laundy, of the Ministry of Public Enterprise Sector, responsible for state-owned companies in Egypt, but he stated that the Ministry is not authorized to respond on behalf of the company.