European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 2, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Cleaning up the med 0y William d. Montalbano los Angeles times t is too Early for cheers but environmentalists of the United nations report a heartening sea change the polluted Mediterranean is making a comeback. Cleanup programs by individual countries and joint cooperation by 17 nations that Border the med Are paying i. Quot the sea is forgiving. Ten years ago conditions were deteriorating fast. We have reversed the trend and Are moving in the right direction a said Aldo Manos coordinator of the . Environmental program s Mediterranean action plan. A i a series of protocols since 1978, Mediterranean neighbors including Good friends and bitter enemies have agreed to Stop dumping in homers wine dark sea and to police land based sources of pollution. Progress is uneven but in addition to their own programs at Home Mediterranean countries with a population of 350 million a and 100 million annual tourists Between them a now contribute to joint environmental monitoring and research. They also pledge cooperation in confronting emergencies such As Oil spills. Saving the sea is an Issue of such Bedrock self interest that it encourages strange bedfellows. Signatories of regional anti pollution agreements Range from France Spain and Italy a the Mediterranean s worst polluters a to Yugoslavia Malta and Monaco. Libya Syria Lebanon and four other Arab states pledge common environmental cause with Israel. Around the same . Meeting table sit representatives of Greece and Turkey and also Cyprus the Island they so bitterly dispute. Even self isolated communist Maverick Albania attends meetings As an observer. The emerging regional Community of interest is extending to the Protection of endangered Mediterranean species such As the Monk Seal and to the designation of protected historical areas and underwater Parks Manos said. The regional search for a healthier Mediterranean is spurred by local and International alarm at pollution sapping the strength and Beauty of the sea around which Western civilization grew up. A decade ago 85 percent of sewage from 120 coastal cities flowed into the med without adequate treatment according to . Figures. Factories and Oil refineries pumped thousands of tons of heavy metals into the Mediterranean food Chain. With them one . Report says 60,000 tons of detergents 320,000 tons of phosphorous and 800,000 tons of nitrogen All went to sea. Tankers freighters passenger liners and warships dumped thousands of tons of refuse and Oil residue into the Mediterranean. By one estimate As much As one fourth of the world s Oil pollution wound up there the United nations notes. Today Manos says about 20 percent of beaches in the 17 countries Are still too polluted for Safe swimming. Quot that is a scandal but 10 years ago when things were at their worst it was 25 some big cities Are laggard in confronting the threat to their sea. Athens a City of 4 million pumps All its waste untreated into the med. Every Isis mrs amps t in Boivin polluted sea is being saved Sunset Over the med at Khania Crete. Summer greek authorities Tell would be swimmers How far East or West of Athens they have to go to find Safe beaches. In Alexandria Egypt whose beaches attract As Many As a million daily bathers from Cairo in summer Long pipes dumping sewage in shallow Waters offshore need constant repair and ultimately will have to be replaced by treatment centers. On balance Good news for the dirty med is often belated and sometimes altogether lacking but there at last seems to be enough of it to have turned the tide. Quot certainly Progress is not fast enough but i am an Optimist Quot Manos said. A i think we can look Forward to a better 4 / it x 7 s i til t. Is Iii it Wmk m f a a it Only Sears offers you this and More. Mob Catalon in slip gift it in hmm style $2 contains european styling in clothes that speak your language a special Section for infants through preschoolers the latest styles and Brand names for boys and girls must have looks for the �?T90s, Toung Wear Active Wear suits and More. Home $5 contains furniture and grills for Patio fun Over 1,000 Power and hand tools design it yourself storage systems parts and accessories for vans coordinated bedroom fashions Lawn and Garden equipment and More. Available at most stars and stripes bookstores. Saturday. June 2. 1990 the stars and stripes Page 17
