The atmosphere of Banias city and the surrounding countryside was filled with suffocating odors due to the odors emitted from the Baniyas refinery for oil derivatives, which filled the air and caused dizziness and imbalance among the residents, especially people suffering from respiratory diseases.

He appealed to a number of the people of Banias and its rural surroundings, especially the people of the villages of "Atla", "Balqouns", "Deir al-Bishal" and the Southern Morouj neighborhood of the city of Banias, the concerned authorities in Tartous Governorate, through Phoenix newspaper, to find a quick solution to these odors emanating from the Banias refinery.

The residents emphasized in their complaint that these odors did not appear today, but began about a month ago, especially when the winds were south and southwest, and last night, Saturday, it became unbearable and the pollution from the refinery did not stop at air pollution but rather pollution.

They added that the pollution reached the Jobar River, which is adjacent to the Baniyas refinery wall, in addition to the open holes filled with materials inside the refinery wall, according to the complainants.

Mahmoud Qassem, director of the Baniyas Refinery, told Al-Khobar TV, that a malfunction occurred in the refinery, which resulted in the emission of strong odors that spread throughout the region, indicating that the defect was resolved.

Qassem said: "There is a malfunction as a result of the fuel falling on the cooling water, and because of the heat the smells came out, while the damaged unit stopped working and maintenance measures were taken."

The director of the refinery added: "We care deeply about all citizens, especially those working in the refinery, who live in close contact with chemicals and odors on a daily basis to carry out maintenance work or direct the refinery's work."

Banias previously suffered from a fuel leak from one of the fuel tanks at the city's power plant in late August 2021, which caused an "environmental disaster" as the leaked fuel reached the coasts of Jableh and Latakia and threatened to reach the coasts of Cyprus and Turkey.

It is worth noting that workers in the oil sector such as refineries and fields are highly exposed to oil derivatives and petrochemicals in the conduct of their work affairs, as they do not receive official support instead of the direct daily risks that surround them.