Impact of Oil Industry Pollution on Health and Livelihood: Case of Harib, Marib Governorate, Yemen

Abstract

The governorate of Marib in general and the directorate of Harib, in particular, suffer from oil pollution in its various forms, which has affected the air, water, and soil. Also, it has caused many deadly diseases such as cancers and kidney failure, as well as affected the properties of groundwater and agricultural lands. The oil companies in these places have not taken any steps of mitigation harming the environment and humans or stop disposing of their hazardous waste directly into the soil and releasing toxic gases into the air. Added to this, the weak role of the government and the absence of control and accountability of these companies. This indicates that the citizens did not receive any compensation or attention for the damage that they have suffered. The current research is based on the fieldwork which was taken place in the earlier period of 2015 through the sampling of soil from contaminated sites in different areas around the oil fields in the province. In addition to the analyses of their components, a field survey was conducted in the year 2020 to check the spread of various diseases and their classification; as well as the damage of agricultural land in Harib area, in Marib Governorate, as a model and to analyze the results of ongoing field surveys. The results showed the prevalence of 17 types of cancers in 64% of the samples, as well as kidney failure and respiratory diseases, which calls for urgent action and obligating companies to build hospitals and provide treatments for the victims, also remove all hazardous waste in the area and apply environmental measures in all operations within the oil fields.