This article was downloaded by: [North Carolina State University] On: 30 March 2015, At: 03:19 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vzeh20
Our Industries and our Lives: A View from Nigeria B. Giadom M.D.
a
a
Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos , Nigeria Published online: 03 Aug 2010.
To cite this article: B. Giadom M.D. (1990) Our Industries and our Lives: A View from Nigeria, Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal, 45:1, 6-7, DOI: 10.1080/00039896.1990.9935916 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1990.9935916
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
Editorial
Downloaded by [North Carolina State University] at 03:19 30 March 2015
Our Industries and Our Lives: A View from Nigeria
Industrialization is generally productive. It provides jobs, skills, goods, and services. But as with other human endeavors, it is not without a price. This price varies with the type, significance, and location of the industry. These factors determine what price we are willing to pay, which ranges from loss of esthetic and pristine areas (i.e., replaced by factories) to direct toxic effects of products or pollutants on our health and/or environment.
viders, etc., need to realize that we currently have in our midst potential sources of illness and environmental damage, and we must focus on future ramifications. Only by so doing shall we begin to recognize the problems when they arise. More importantly, it i s necessary to set up machinery that can effectively tackle these problems before they become critical. This is preferable to our traditional approach of allowing events to overtake us, making us leap from crisis to crisis.
Risk factors Though still in its infancy, the process of industrialization has begun in Nigeria. Some specific examples of large-scale industries include petrochemical plants that produce carbon black, linear alkyl benzene, and polypropylene; fertilizer plants that produce super phosphate and urea/ammonia fertilizers; petroleum refineries; and tire and cement factories. All of these industries or factories either use or produce directly, or as by-products, substances that have been associated with danger to the environment and/or human life. A brief summary i s provided in the Table below. Lest we think that only the large-scale concerns threaten our lives, some of the small but widespread industries, e.g., tieand-dye clothing industry, utilize chemicals (dyes) that have been associated with some cancers as do the X-rays from the unshielded machines in the various "XYZ specialist" hospitals that abound in our cities. Though one is aware that built-in pollution control and waste treatment measures are available in the large-scale plants, such as the refineries, petrochemical, and fertilizer plants, etc.,'r2 one often hears and reads about damaging effects of pollutants that result from them.j-' And an added troublesome burden is the internationalization of pollution as evidenced by dumping of waste in Africa by Europeans, the acid rain problem in Europe and North America, and the depletion of the ozone layer with the possibility of global temperature and weather disturbances. In essence, you no longer have to be the one who generates the pollutants to feel their consequences.
What can be done?
As stated earlier, we need industries. Some might even argue that for the relatively small number of industries and people directly involved at this, our relatively early stage of industrialization, industrial pollution does not even warrant a look. I disagree and suggest that we as ordinary citizens, industrialists, government policymakers, and health care pro6
Industrial Chemicals from Nigerian Industries and Their Effects'-4 Effect on environment/ human health
Industry
Chemicals
Petrochemical
Benzene
Narcosis, aplastic anemia, and leukemia.
Carbon black
Soot generation sullies the environment.
Hydrofluoric acid
Skin corrosion, osteosclerosis, and enamel mottling.
Paraffin solvents Skin neoplasia. Hydrogen sulfide
Asphysiant, koretoconjunctivitis.
Sour water
Contains ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and phenols with their respective effects.
Xylene
Narcosis, teratogenic.
Ammonia
Corrosive, pneumonitis, and increase in biological oxygen demand.
Nitrateinitrites
Methemoglobinemia induction.
~
Fertilizer
Phosphoric acid Corrosive, hepatotoxic, and bone necrosis. Petroleum refining
Sulfur oxides Tetraethyl lead
Acid rain formation Encephalopathy, gastrointestinallhematologic disturbance.
Hydrocarbon/ particulates
Soot/dust generation sully the environment.
Archives of EnvironmentalHealth
Downloaded by [North Carolina State University] at 03:19 30 March 2015
It is not just the big media event disasters such as Koko waste dumping, Bophal chemical disaster, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island nuclear disasters that should prompt us into enacting hurried and often unenforced laws. A casual look at the various open drainages around some of our industrial establishments in our cities often reveals unsightly scenes and no one knows what they actually contain. The time to worry about pollution control is now-not when we start loosing our environmental wealth, e.g., fauna, flora, pristine waters, etc., as well as people in epidemic proportions. One i s aware that there are some state and federal antipollution laws, but how adequate and vigorously enforced are they? This problem was illustrated by the view expressed by the World Health Organization representative in Nigeria who was quoted as saying, “Legislations to protect against environmental pollution and hazards to industrial workers are either absent or inadequate.”’ Some legislation is too rash and harsh as was the proposed precipitate death penalty for collaborators in the Koko toxic waste dumping. A gradual, multilateral approach is needed that would involve schools. The sources and effects of pollutants should be taught as compulsory subjects at the secondary school through university level to sensitize the ordinary citizen and future policymakers similar to what is being proposed for education about population control.a Legislators should pass and vigorously enforce adequate laws that are not too harsh or leniant and that are based on the principles of prophylaxis, rehabilitation, and punitive actions against those who burden the environment (as was recently done by Lagos State Covernment9). And researchers should constantly update the various com munit ies. Finally, international cooperation regarding the regulation of waste dumping across borders i s also needed to prevent incidences such as that headlined “522 U.S. firms want to export wastes to the Third World”’o and “The dumping grounds.”” A headline such as “Experts reach accord on antitoxic waste treaty”I2 is sanguine and may even’be salubrious. But let us hope that the observation by the critic from the
January/February1990 [Vol. 45 (No. l ) ]
Green Peace Organization who said “it [the agreement] represented agreement on the lowest common environmental denominator . . . in effect it would legalize trade in toxic waste and fail to offer any incentives for reducing the problem”’2 is wrong. B. Giadom, M.D. Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos, Nigeria References
1. Lolomari 0. Petrochemical in the Nigerian environment. Proceedings of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Conference. 1983;pp. 45-49. 2. Madueka CI. Environmental protection: prospects for implementation in Nigerian petroleum refineries. Proceedings of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Conference. 1983;pp. 55-62. 3. Tyrer FH, Lee K. A synopsis of occupational medicine. Bristol: John Wright and Sons Ltd., 1985; pp. 164, 166, 169-69, 192, (2nd ed.). 4. World Health Organization. Early detection of occupational diseases. Geneva: WHO, 1986;pp. 54-55, 131-32, 163. 5. Fertilizer plant poisons water, fishes. The Guardian. 1988; February 12, p. 1. 6. Fertilizer company‘s acid plant shut down. New Nigerian. 1989; January 13, p. 16. 7. Aguiyi-lronsi L, Ebri J, Ehi-Asuelimen S et al. The looming shadow. Newswatch. 1988;8:12-18. 8. Population education planned for schools. The Punch. 1989; March 21, p. 16. 9. Lagos introduces $loO,ooO fine for industrial poisons. The Cuardian. 1989;February 9, pp. 1-2. 10. 522 U.S. firms want to export wastes to the Third World. Daily Times 1988;August 22, p. 1. 1 1 . Smith P, George A. The dumping grounds. South 1988;August, pp. 37-41. 12. Experts reach accord on anti-toxic waste treaty. The Guardian 1989;March 21, p. 5.
7
Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vzeh20
Our Industries and our Lives: A View from Nigeria B. Giadom M.D.
a
a
Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos , Nigeria Published online: 03 Aug 2010.
To cite this article: B. Giadom M.D. (1990) Our Industries and our Lives: A View from Nigeria, Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal, 45:1, 6-7, DOI: 10.1080/00039896.1990.9935916 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1990.9935916
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
Editorial
Downloaded by [North Carolina State University] at 03:19 30 March 2015
Our Industries and Our Lives: A View from Nigeria
Industrialization is generally productive. It provides jobs, skills, goods, and services. But as with other human endeavors, it is not without a price. This price varies with the type, significance, and location of the industry. These factors determine what price we are willing to pay, which ranges from loss of esthetic and pristine areas (i.e., replaced by factories) to direct toxic effects of products or pollutants on our health and/or environment.
viders, etc., need to realize that we currently have in our midst potential sources of illness and environmental damage, and we must focus on future ramifications. Only by so doing shall we begin to recognize the problems when they arise. More importantly, it i s necessary to set up machinery that can effectively tackle these problems before they become critical. This is preferable to our traditional approach of allowing events to overtake us, making us leap from crisis to crisis.
Risk factors Though still in its infancy, the process of industrialization has begun in Nigeria. Some specific examples of large-scale industries include petrochemical plants that produce carbon black, linear alkyl benzene, and polypropylene; fertilizer plants that produce super phosphate and urea/ammonia fertilizers; petroleum refineries; and tire and cement factories. All of these industries or factories either use or produce directly, or as by-products, substances that have been associated with danger to the environment and/or human life. A brief summary i s provided in the Table below. Lest we think that only the large-scale concerns threaten our lives, some of the small but widespread industries, e.g., tieand-dye clothing industry, utilize chemicals (dyes) that have been associated with some cancers as do the X-rays from the unshielded machines in the various "XYZ specialist" hospitals that abound in our cities. Though one is aware that built-in pollution control and waste treatment measures are available in the large-scale plants, such as the refineries, petrochemical, and fertilizer plants, etc.,'r2 one often hears and reads about damaging effects of pollutants that result from them.j-' And an added troublesome burden is the internationalization of pollution as evidenced by dumping of waste in Africa by Europeans, the acid rain problem in Europe and North America, and the depletion of the ozone layer with the possibility of global temperature and weather disturbances. In essence, you no longer have to be the one who generates the pollutants to feel their consequences.
What can be done?
As stated earlier, we need industries. Some might even argue that for the relatively small number of industries and people directly involved at this, our relatively early stage of industrialization, industrial pollution does not even warrant a look. I disagree and suggest that we as ordinary citizens, industrialists, government policymakers, and health care pro6
Industrial Chemicals from Nigerian Industries and Their Effects'-4 Effect on environment/ human health
Industry
Chemicals
Petrochemical
Benzene
Narcosis, aplastic anemia, and leukemia.
Carbon black
Soot generation sullies the environment.
Hydrofluoric acid
Skin corrosion, osteosclerosis, and enamel mottling.
Paraffin solvents Skin neoplasia. Hydrogen sulfide
Asphysiant, koretoconjunctivitis.
Sour water
Contains ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and phenols with their respective effects.
Xylene
Narcosis, teratogenic.
Ammonia
Corrosive, pneumonitis, and increase in biological oxygen demand.
Nitrateinitrites
Methemoglobinemia induction.
~
Fertilizer
Phosphoric acid Corrosive, hepatotoxic, and bone necrosis. Petroleum refining
Sulfur oxides Tetraethyl lead
Acid rain formation Encephalopathy, gastrointestinallhematologic disturbance.
Hydrocarbon/ particulates
Soot/dust generation sully the environment.
Archives of EnvironmentalHealth
Downloaded by [North Carolina State University] at 03:19 30 March 2015
It is not just the big media event disasters such as Koko waste dumping, Bophal chemical disaster, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island nuclear disasters that should prompt us into enacting hurried and often unenforced laws. A casual look at the various open drainages around some of our industrial establishments in our cities often reveals unsightly scenes and no one knows what they actually contain. The time to worry about pollution control is now-not when we start loosing our environmental wealth, e.g., fauna, flora, pristine waters, etc., as well as people in epidemic proportions. One i s aware that there are some state and federal antipollution laws, but how adequate and vigorously enforced are they? This problem was illustrated by the view expressed by the World Health Organization representative in Nigeria who was quoted as saying, “Legislations to protect against environmental pollution and hazards to industrial workers are either absent or inadequate.”’ Some legislation is too rash and harsh as was the proposed precipitate death penalty for collaborators in the Koko toxic waste dumping. A gradual, multilateral approach is needed that would involve schools. The sources and effects of pollutants should be taught as compulsory subjects at the secondary school through university level to sensitize the ordinary citizen and future policymakers similar to what is being proposed for education about population control.a Legislators should pass and vigorously enforce adequate laws that are not too harsh or leniant and that are based on the principles of prophylaxis, rehabilitation, and punitive actions against those who burden the environment (as was recently done by Lagos State Covernment9). And researchers should constantly update the various com munit ies. Finally, international cooperation regarding the regulation of waste dumping across borders i s also needed to prevent incidences such as that headlined “522 U.S. firms want to export wastes to the Third World”’o and “The dumping grounds.”” A headline such as “Experts reach accord on antitoxic waste treaty”I2 is sanguine and may even’be salubrious. But let us hope that the observation by the critic from the
January/February1990 [Vol. 45 (No. l ) ]
Green Peace Organization who said “it [the agreement] represented agreement on the lowest common environmental denominator . . . in effect it would legalize trade in toxic waste and fail to offer any incentives for reducing the problem”’2 is wrong. B. Giadom, M.D. Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos, Nigeria References
1. Lolomari 0. Petrochemical in the Nigerian environment. Proceedings of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Conference. 1983;pp. 45-49. 2. Madueka CI. Environmental protection: prospects for implementation in Nigerian petroleum refineries. Proceedings of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Conference. 1983;pp. 55-62. 3. Tyrer FH, Lee K. A synopsis of occupational medicine. Bristol: John Wright and Sons Ltd., 1985; pp. 164, 166, 169-69, 192, (2nd ed.). 4. World Health Organization. Early detection of occupational diseases. Geneva: WHO, 1986;pp. 54-55, 131-32, 163. 5. Fertilizer plant poisons water, fishes. The Guardian. 1988; February 12, p. 1. 6. Fertilizer company‘s acid plant shut down. New Nigerian. 1989; January 13, p. 16. 7. Aguiyi-lronsi L, Ebri J, Ehi-Asuelimen S et al. The looming shadow. Newswatch. 1988;8:12-18. 8. Population education planned for schools. The Punch. 1989; March 21, p. 16. 9. Lagos introduces $loO,ooO fine for industrial poisons. The Cuardian. 1989;February 9, pp. 1-2. 10. 522 U.S. firms want to export wastes to the Third World. Daily Times 1988;August 22, p. 1. 1 1 . Smith P, George A. The dumping grounds. South 1988;August, pp. 37-41. 12. Experts reach accord on anti-toxic waste treaty. The Guardian 1989;March 21, p. 5.
7
