OPEN BURNING OF PLASTICS IS HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH

A DESSERTATION ON THE "USE OF PLASTICs/PVCs TO ENHANCE BARBEQUE FIRE: ITS EFFECTS ON MAN AND ENVIRONMENT IN RIVERS STATE"

This opened my eyes so much that I can now authoritatively say that open burning of plastics at solid waste collection points, or at final disposal sites, even in our houses WITHOUT relevant incinerator is very dangerous to your health and environment. Also, adding plastics in the form of disused plastic buckets, water bottles, flipflops, PVCs, waterproof bags (polyethene bags) etc into fire to help the fire to light well for cooking  or barbeque is not advisable.

As we all know, it's a very common sight in port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, to see people lighting fire for one barbeque stuff or another. The worrisome aspect is the use of plastics/PVCs to help the fire light up well. This practice is now so common that people see it as a necessary process to light up their barbeque fire or firewood/ charcoal fire etc..

The sad thing is that, those who do such are inadvertently poisoning the barbeque food, the air, environment and of course themselves including the general public. I have seen women /men who sell pork meat, grilled/roasted chicken, suya, bolé-fish, yam and plantain etc by the road side use plastics, nylon, and pvc materials to help the fire as they dry, roast, smoke or charr the meat, fish or chicken etc, that is supposedly meant for public consumption. THAT ACT IS GROSSLY HARMFUL / HAZARDOUS TO THE INNOCENT PUBLIC. These persons also inhale the fumes from the plastics/pvc, nylon materials etc that they burn. This is dangerous and very very hazardous.

Most people who burn their domestic waste that contains plastics, nylon, pvc do not realize how harmful this practice is, to their health and also to the environment. Current research indicates that even our backyard-burning of waste is far more harmful to our health than previously thought. It can increase the risk of heart disease, aggravate respiratory ailments such as asthma and emphysema, and cause rashes, nausea (urge to vomit), or headaches, could cause damages to the nervous system, kidney or liver, and the reproductive and development system. 

The burning of polystyrene polymers such as foam, plastic cups, meat trays, plastic egg crates, yogurt and deli containers, releases what is called styrene. Styrene gas can readily be absorbed through the skin and lungs.

At high levels styrene vapor can damage the eyes and mucous membranes. No wonder most of our old women develop poor vision and blindness at old age. Long term exposure to styrene can also affect the central nervous system, causing headaches, fatigue, weakness, and depression. 

Its not only those perdons who always burn plastics that are exposed to these pollutants, but also their neighbours, children and families.

In my study I found out that burning of plastic materials actually emit gases which are not good for you and the environment.Whenever you burn plastics you produce dioxin, which is a deadly poison. It is the most dangerous emissions that can be caused by burning plastics containing organochlor-based substances like PVC. 

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is well known to produce dioxin when burned.  Those plastics that contain nitrogen (nylon) or chlorine (PVC) gives out very toxic fumes when burned. When such plastics are burned, harmful quantities of dioxins, which is a group of highly toxic chemicals are emitted.

Dioxins are the most toxic to the human organisms. They are truly carcinogenic and a renowned hormone disruptor. Dioxins are persistent, and they accumulate in our body-fat and thus mothers give it directly to their babies via the placenta. 

Dioxins also settle on crops and in our waterways where they eventually wind up in our food, accumulate in our bodies and are passed on to our children. Air emissions from open burning are released directly into the house or the atmosphere without being treated or filtered.

In fact any carbon-based material produces hazardous byproducts under most combustion conditions, mostly due to incomplete combustion. 
Please note that burning plastic is really bad for you and the environment. There is no doubt that when plastic is burned it emits toxic fumes.

Open burning ordinarily is not good for your health and your environment. Burning of plastic waste is simply dangerous to your health and the health of the environment.

Pollutants released from burning plastic waste in in drums, or openly, are transported through the air either short or long distances, and are then deposited onto land or into bodies of water. A few of these pollutants such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and furans persist for long periods of time in the environment and have a tendency to bio-accumulate which means they build up in predators at the top of the food web. 

Bioaccumulation of pollutants usually occurs indirectly through contaminated water and food rather than breathing the contaminated air directly. 

In wildlife, the range of effects associated with these pollutants includes cancer, deformed offspring, reproductive failure, immune diseases and subtle neuro-behavioral effects. Humans can be exposed indirectly just like wildlife, especially through consumption of contaminated fish, meat and diary products. Plastics such as PVC (polyvinylchloride) is common in such things as bottles and jugs, plastic packaging and blister packs, etc.

Polyvinyl chloride, or 'PVC', is one of the most widely used polymers in the world. Due to its highly versatile nature, PVC is used extensively in many industries including construction, automotive, electronics, packaging, fashion and design amongst others. However once it enters the waste stream, it has traditionally been seen as a cause of harmful emissions from pvcs.

Micro-pollutants as well as acidic gases in solid wastes are released during their combustion processes in general, and  it was concluded that PVC was the main cause for most hazardous emissions.

When these are burnt in the house, carbon monoxide, dioxins, and furans are released into your air. Whilst carbon monoxide is a very well-known poison, dioxins and furans are not well known yet as deadlier fumes. Scientific studies have linked dioxins and furans to cancer and respiratory disease.

ARE YOU STILL WONDERING WHY CANCER RATES ARE SO HIGH THESE DAYS?

Dioxin is the major culprit. As mentioned above, dioxin is a very toxic organic chemical that contains chlorine, and it is produced when chlorine and hydrocarbons are heated at high temperatures. 
To inhale dioxin or to be exposed to its fumes can cause many deadly/toxic results. Such toxic components inhaled through smoke from burning plastic materials may also cause hormonal imbalance and sex behavioural orientation especially in newborns. 

Hence, plastic should never be burned in the open air and should never be used to cook or do barbeque. PLEASE! 
There are recommended recycling options available for many of these products.

CONCLUSION:

Toxic gases are emitted by burning plastic materials. They include dioxins and furans. These chemicals can also cause cancer, impotence, asthma and myriads other allergies to human beings. 
A scientific researcher, Young Danes, have also reported exceptionally low sperm counts compared to the previous generations, testicular cancer was increased by 55 per cent between 1979 and 1991 in England and Wales. According to him, fewer boys were being born in Seveso, Italy, where toxic dioxin was released. Some girls are even achieving puberty earlier than others.

To this end, it must be noted that petroleum product fueled stoves simply do not reach high enough temperatures to destroy many of the dangerous chemicals created when plastic burns.

It is highly recommended to use standard municipal solid waste incinerators such as the double chambered incinerators. Because the Energy from such waste plant can reach a temperature of about 982 degrees C (ie1800 Fahrenheit) and can provide enough volume of oxygen to complete the burning process of such plastic/PVCs.

Open burning of PVCs and other plastics only tend to smoulder and smoke, releasing plumes of toxic fall out into your house, offices and the surrounding community/ the environment, thus making your environment as polluted as a PVC factory! The ash alone is also potentially hazardous and not appropriate to spread on the soil.

To this end, all this who use PVCs/ plastics as fire enhancer to roast meat, suya, barbeque, fish or any food meant for consumption is not only poisoning self but endangering the health of the innocent, unsuspecting public and the environment as a whole.

STOP BURNING PLASTIC NOW! RECYCLING IS BEST.

So you need do yourself and the world a favour. If your neighbours burn plastic, quickly report them to your nearest Environmental Health authority or the ministry of Environment. You can inform the EHSadvisor for quick intervention. Send us a message or use any of our contacts for quick response.

Remember, good health is about good food, clean water, and clean air. This is not just a mere blog post. TAKE THIS ADVICE VERY SERIOUSLY.

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