Back from communities in Shagamu, Ogun State, Medinat Kanabe and Dorcas Egede report on how emissions from the activities of steel companies and black oil manufacturing companies are gradually snuffing life out of the people and causing the dwellers to desert their homes.
Kamalo Labori, Ogijo, Shagamu, Ogun State houses three communities – Jagun Kamalo, Erefun Kamalo and Erefun Family. Although they all have their Baales (community heads), there is a Baale that oversees all entire Kamalo environ. He is from the Erefun family.
About eight years ago, the Baale began the sale of parcels of land in the communities to companies that showed interest in setting up industries in the community; but little did he know that some of the factories that would be set up would be the type that would emit dangerous fumes and smoke and constitute danger to healthy living.
Although their joy initially new no bounds, considering the employment opportunities and CSR benefits they thought would follow, it soon gave way to sadness and trepidation, when the factories came alive.
Among the companies is one which deals in the production of steel – Iron rods; while another deals in the production of black oil, a kind of oil called Low Pour Fuel Oil, LPFO used by the steel factory to fire their furnace.
With operations in full gear, the situation got so bad that it led to the closure of a new school even before it commenced teaching. Teachers and pupils abandoned school, while dwellers abandoned their houses out of fear for their health and life.
When The Nation visited the community recently, the houses located close to the factories looked like a scene from a horror movie. Roofs had gone black with soot; smoke was everywhere, houses were left uncompleted while those completed had been deserted. Fortunately for these reporters, one of the companies – Metafric Steel was producing at the time of their visit, so they were able to observe the situation first-hand.
As one approaches the heart of the community, there is an obvious mist, so thick that one could hardly get a glimpse of the sky. For a brief moment, it looked like it was about to rain; and after about three minutes everything came down on the community, pouring on houses, people, plants and live stocks. These reporters couldn’t help but scurry for cover, while searching frantically for handkerchief to cover their noses.
We’re endangered species- residents
The residents welcomed the opportunity to speak to these reporters and eagerly recounted their woes. Mr Alabi Ganiu, an elder in the community who took these reporters round the three communities on foot explained how the people have suffered in the hands of the companies.
“In the morning, we dare not walk past the factory that produces black oil because it can be really scary. The sand on the road that leads to the factory has turned black; the fence that borders the factory has also gone black and the place looks quite haunted.”
Another resident, who sells food close to the factory, showed the reporters her blackened shop and house. She spoke of how on several occasions, she had fallen sick and gone to the hospital, only for the doctor to ask if she smoked. “Each time I said no, they hardly believed me; rather they advised me to stop smoking, if I don’t want to die young. I hope the government will come to our rescue soon. I don’t have anywhere else to go; besides I cannot leave here for people who came to meet me here.” She said.
Not too long ago, she said, a man who lived close to the company that makes black oil – Tec High Profile reportedly died of poisonous smoke.
Abbey, a popular young man in the community, is however not optimistic of any solution because, according to him, everyone that is supposed to come to their aide has been bribed. “We have written letters to the different ministries but when they come, they collect bribe and disappear. Sometimes they would say they were coming but would not show up. The Baale, it appears, has also been bribed. That is why he doesn’t listen when we make reports to him.”
A mother of four who lives at the back of Real Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, a company that produces steel, said “The smell alone can make someone sick. If you come here during Harmattan, you will not be able to stay a minute.”
Even a young man, who works with Tec High Profile, said the smoke is really disturbing. He even advised these reporters not to buy a land in the area. “You see that pipe where the smoke dey pass, if you come for early morning you no go fit pass there.”
Another Tec High Profile worker revealed that they mostly work as casual workers and that one can only make as much money as he can put in. He also said “The job is not for lazy people. Some people work 24 hours, and we make a lot of money.”
Asked if he is aware of the danger he may be exposing himself to, working in such a place, he said, “I don’t know if there is any danger, I am just working to put food on my table.”
More factories on the way – LCDA Chairman
LCDA Chairman of Jagun Labori, Mr Michael Ayeni, seems to have resigned to fate. Since he cannot do anything about the pollution, he confessed that he regularly drinks ginger and garlic tea to purify his system.
He said; “When they are producing, they release the smoke into the air; then in a few minutes, the whole thing comes down. You will not be able to sit here when it does, and then after a while it goes away. We have written a lot of letters to the factories but they keep saying they are working on it. We cannot help ourselves except the government comes to our aid.
“There are about four factories around here and more are still coming up. When we approach them, it is either they tell us that they are working on putting their exhaust underground or they say that the smoke is just for 20 minutes. They also try to claim their right by telling us that they are also land owners; and that as neighbours and landlords, we shouldn’t be fighting.”
So far, Ayeni said, he is not aware of any casualties in Jagun Kamalo but he has heard of one in Erefun Kamalo. Notably, he said each time the people visit the hospital, doctors ask if they smoke, insisting that there are visible evidences of poisonous substances in their blood.
He revealed that the community is planning on going on a protest, to intimate the government of what they are going through.
On the allegation of bribery, Ayeni confirmed that officials from Shagamu Local Government have indeed visited the community. This much was corroborated by Mrs Gbemo, a Health officer; but nothing has come out of the visits. This, he said, is why he cannot rule out the allegation.
No factory without smoke – Real Infrastructure
Speaking with The Nation, the Human Resources Manager, Real Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, Mr Rahmon Olanrewaju said they are working in collaboration with the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency OSEPA and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA to reduce the smoke.
He said, “They are aware that we are working towards it and anytime people come to complain to us, we let them know what we are doing. Not too long ago, I wrote our environmental audit report stating the details of our action plan on control of the pollution. If not for the challenge of Forex, we would have brought in all the equipment that is required to complete the process of eradicating smoke during production; however, some of the major equipment are here already.”
He promised that by the third quarter of the year everything should be ready. ”In our time table, we wanted to complete it in June and commission it in October, of which I have informed the community people. It is not as if smoke will not come out but it will be very limited and controlled and the smoke would not be black but clean.”
Olanrewaju however said he is not aware that anybody has deserted their homes or died on account of the companies’ activities. He said the man who allegedly died didn’t even live close to the factory.
“The man relocated not because of the smoke but because he wanted to relocate and he died years after relocating.”
When these reporters told him that workers in Tec High Profile said most of the smoke comes from his factory, he laughed and said smoke comes from his factory and other factories. “I cannot deny the fact that smoke comes from my factory and I am yet to see any factory that will produce without smoke.
“I don’t want to exchange words with people who are not stating the obvious. If you visit their factory, you will see that smoke is also coming out; and that’s aside other poisinous emissions that I wouldn’t want to mention, so it doesn’t look like I’m trying to get back at them. But, if you ask me, smoke is even minor.”
He said his organisation has been in existence in the community for long and that it was after the company that produces black oil came on that the issue of poisonous odour started. “Government agencies are aware and I think at a point, they came to shut down the company and gave them time to work on it, which I believe they are doing.”
To further prove his organisation’s innocence and efforts, Olanrewaju took these reporters round the Tec High Profile factory to show them the corrective equipment already procured for installation.
Our smoke is non toxic – Tec High Profile
A representative of Tec High Profile, Mr Rasaq Toyin also confirmed that they are working on getting rid of the smoke. He explained that his company, Minimas Investment and Consulting Limited, Ikeja is an industrial consultant to Tec High. “They manufacture black oil and they have licence to operate. They don’t use any form of chemical; all what they do is put scrapped tyres in the oven, which they burn until they become liquid and the oil is extracted.”
He explained that the oil is known as Low Pour Fuel Oil and is used by small and medium companies that cannot afford gas to power their furnace.
He could not confirm if the smoke is poisonous, but admitted that no smoke is good for the health. From their research, he also affirmed that the smoke the company emit is non toxic.
“Normally officials of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, OSEPA, come to investigate what is going on in the factory. We also have external body that comes to check the air pollution and even recommend that we continue to look for ways of reducing the pollution.”
So far, he said the company is working towards the recommendations, but declared that getting the device or machine to reduce the pollution is another thing. Most of the time, he said they’re looking inward for immediate and effective solutions. At a time, they were told to construct pipes;”that is why if you enter the company, you will see a long pipe where smoke passes through. All the smoke is supposed to be coming out of the pipe but because they have two ovens, they could not achieve this. Aside the pipe, they were also encouraged to continue exploring solution efforts.”
Toyin however, could not give a date of time in which a final and lasting solution would be found to the emission, “because according to him, there is a difference between work in progress and production stage.
Asked if the community has ever written to his company on the matter, he said he is just an industrial consultant; but insisted that the smoke from a neighbouring factory is more than that emitted by Tec High Profile.
“Thank God we have not recorded any death but go to other area where companies that manufacture steel are located and ask if they have recorded victims or not. Even this black oil that we are talking about is not used by generators but these factories. It is not a primary product; it is not even something you can see in the markets” he said.
On why there is no sign post to show the name of the company, he said most of the companies don’t write their names on the gates except the ones that have not started producing.
Another Tec High Profile worker, a supervisor, explained that they do tyre recycling to produce black oil which “Iron companies like this company opposite us (Real Infrastructure Nigeria Limited) use in their furnace pot to make it work perfectly. It helps waste to be minimal. The oil is used to melt scrap before they process it into iron.
Mum’s the word at the local government office
When these reporters paid a visit to the Shagamu South Local Government Development Area, Annex, Ogijo, the health officer who gave her name as Mrs Gbenro A.Y, refused to divulge any information but said she along with her colleagues have visited the community before and will visit again.
After the fourth visit to the community, these reporters came down with skin rash and chronic cough. A sputum test conducted on one of them showed that she has been exposed to some harmful emission.
Visits to the Baale
On the four occasions these reporters visited the community, the baale was absent, with his place doors locked, even though they had prior appointments with him. On putting calls through to him, he would indicate that he was on his way but never showed up.
Inhaling smoke can cause lung disease, sudden death- expert
In this interview, Dr Ndudi Raymond Nzekwe, a medical officer at Dominion Care Medical Centre, Agbor Delta State explains the health implications of being exposed to pollution from burning.
He said there are different kinds of emissions, noting that the type that comes from burning tyres is carbon and carbon-monoxide. For the company that burns metals to produce steel, he said they emit carbonIVoxide.
“Where we have carbon monoxide being released, we call it carbon monoxide poisoning. Here, when breathing takes place, you inhale oxygen which binds with the red blood cells; in the same vein, when you inhale carbon monoxide, it also goes ahead and binds with the red blood cells.” The doctor said.
“Now, there’s a complex red blood cell called haemoglobin. This carbon monoxide now binds with the haemoglobin and forms what we call, carboxic haemoglobin. That compound doesn’t leave for oxygen to stay. It binds for a longer time than oxygen does. This has killed some people. When a person inhales a lot of carbon monoxide, it displaces all the oxygen in the haemoglobin, and such person eventually dies from deprivation of oxygen. And such people die without a prior warning. We’ve had cases of people using generators in places not properly ventilated while they slept and a whole family wiped out. None of them woke up the following morning because all their oxygen was depleted and they died in their sleep without prior warning. The issue with the carbon that comes from all kinds of burning is that it goes into the lungs and is deposited there.” Nzekwe said.
Explaining what happened to the reporter that came down with cough, Dr Nzekwe said what she suffered on her visit was possibly the development of an allergic reaction to the carbon she inhaled.
“Now, her body didn’t like the carbon that had been deposited in it, so the body put up a resistance against the foreign substance by producing mucous secretion. By so doing, the body tried to expel the carbon that had been deposited in the lungs. There are times when the body may not succeed in expelling it all; some of the particles may go down and deposit gradually in the alveolar, where oxygen exchange takes place, and then as they keep depositing over time, they cause chronic lung problems.
“Then, there is one that’s of major health concern. As carbon is being daily inhaled, the cell layer of the respiratory tract environmental hardens, what we call metaplasia. The continuous and prolonged exposure to carbon being emitted into the air in such environments, changes the epiterial lining. And that continual change eventually triggers a lung cancer. For a one time visitor, there’s just the allergic reaction to be worried about, but for someone who inhales it every day, the body will find a way to adjust to it and eventually, that corrosiveness will metamorphose into lung cancer.”
Workers at risk
Of course, the people working in such factories are more at risk, Nzekwe said. We call it occupational lung disease. People who work there are likely to come down with the lung disease. You know, cancer being triggered depends on a person’s constitution. For some, it takes a longer time. Some people can be exposed for up to twenty years before they come down with the disease, while it may take up to 60 years in others. It all depends on the genetic formation of individuals, and the extent of their resistance.
Tyre burning process must be controlled – Chemist
Dr Abayomi Akeem, a specialist in Environmental Chemistry and lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos speaks on the health hazards of tyre burning and insists that the process must be controlled.
What are the harmful substances produced during burning activities factories?
First, what goes on is the tyrolysis of tyre. A lot of tyres are produced all over the world and the ones that ends up in our country, especially now that we have this biting recession are the second hand tyres; so we generate a lot of waste tyres. And because of its bulk, it is not easy to just dump them anywhere in the landfill waste receiving units. So, what could be done is to either shred the tyres before using it as landfill or burn it like the company is doing.
Usually, tyrolysis or burning of materials to produce carbon is not a bad process, but the process has to be controlled. It must be done in a closed environment where you have absence of oxygen, so that emission could be controlled without going into the environment. But what happens is that people burn in open places or buildings that have no emission control and as such smoke leaks out and goes into the environment.
What you basically have as the materials being emitted are remnants of tyres coming out as coal, particulate carbon, nauseous gasses, such as hydrogen sulphide and C02 are also generated. These could be very injurious to people staying there; but the danger is not limited to only those in the immediate environment, because the direction of the wind will also aid the dispersion of the emission to travel far beyond even where it is being emitted. If you will recall, Port Harcourt residents had an issue like that recently and the government went around to some of these tyre burning places to close them down.
Whether we like it or not, we have to take care of our waste, but how we do it is another thing entirely. Tyres have to be recycled, or else everywhere will be filled up with waste tyres and it will be suffocating. Again, there are modern processes of recycling such wastes that it will not generate this sort of problem.
What are the health risks?
First, the cloudy situation you witnessed when you visited is called particulates. They are very small particles which are by-products of that process. These particulates, because of their sizes, go far and wide and settle in people’s homes; and when people breathe them in, because of their sizes, they go into defined places in the lungs and start causing respiratory problems like asthma. Some even create more terrible problems in the lungs. The effect of the carbon monoxide is just like when someone puts a generator in a room and sleeps overnight, because of the affinity of CO to haemoglobin, before you know what is happening, the person would have passed on.
Even aromatic hydrocarbon that causes cancer could be released into the atmosphere; but because we are ignorant of these things, people tend to overlook them. You can now link some of these activities to the high rate of cancer that we have in our country now.
No response from govt
When The Nation contacted the Ogun State government on the issue, Mr Bolaji Oyeleye, the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment promised to check out the communities and get back to these reporters; but as at the time of filing in this report, he was yet to get back.
