Tough environment law in Bahrain gets green light

Tough environment law in Bahrain gets green light

The legislation, approved by Parliament last year, would see those who import, bring, store, transport, bury or sink dangerous materials or waste jailed for up to three years and fined between BD15,000 and BD100,000.However, if the materials or waste are nuclear, then the punishment will not be less than life in prison, which carries a 25-year sentence, or the death penalty with fines of between BD100,000 and BD1 million.The government-drafted bill, that comprises 125 articles, also states that jail terms or fines could be doubled should the offence be repeated.“The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is fully responsible for radioactive materials and its transfer between countries,” said Special Envoy for Climate Affairs and Supreme Council for Environment chief executive Dr Mohammed Bin Daina.“Most of the radioactive substances we receive here in Bahrain are for medical uses,” he added.“We enforce a rule that the agent in Bahrain should contact the foreign supplier whenever there is no need for the machine or equipment here.“Coincidentally, earlier this month Bahrain removed a disused sealed radioactive source (DSRS) from Salmaniya Medical Complex in co-ordination with the IAEA, which could have led to a radiation exposure.”He said that is why the tough new rules were necessary,