SOLOMON ODENIYI writes about the unwholesome practice of open burning of seized goods by government agencies and its implications on the environment
What started as normal sickness later degenerated into respiratory disease for Salamatu Mariam (not her real name). She was later rushed to 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna State.
After several tests carried out on her, she was discovered to be battling partial oxygen saturation attributed to her exposure to air pollution. Online sources define oxygen saturation as the fraction of oxygen-saturated hemoglobin relative to total hemoglobin (unsaturated + saturated) in the blood.
Mariam told Saturday PUNCH, “Initially, I felt it was a normal sickness. I didn’t take it seriously. Later, I started having irritation and then difficulty in breathing. I was also coughing. When I discovered I was not getting any better I went to the hospital for an examination. I was told I had saturated partial oxygen. It was said to be around 76 per cent which was not optimal. They told me that for adult age any saturated oxygen below 95 or 90 per cent is considered low oxygen saturation. The doctors said my illness was a result of my exposure to air pollution. “
She said she was placed on oxygen and rehydrated before she recuperated, stating that after being discharged she was warned to stay away from pollutants that might lead to the disease’s recurrence.
The woman added, “I was placed on oxygen to optimise my oxygen saturation. I was also adequately rehydrated and after I was stable, I was discharged and counselled on the need to avoid any pollutant that can trigger a recurrence since I have had an episode.”
She was lucky to be alive as many have lost their lives to air pollution in Nigeria and across the world.
The World Health Organisation notes that air pollution is the contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Air pollution is known to worsen other environmental challenges Nigeria is currently facing. Currently, some states in the country such as Kogi, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Katsina among others are in the grip of flooding. The Nigeria Meteorological Agency also said that states in the North-Central and South-East zones in Nigeria should expect more flooding.
Besides, the National Emergency Management Agency disclosed that more than 100,000 people were displaced in 29 states including the FCT, 300 killed, 500 injured and more than 500,000 affected by floods in the country in 2022.
Though the incidents are classified as natural disasters, the environment is undoubtedly being hurt by acts engaged in by some Nigerians and government agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Nigerian Custom Service, Standard Organisation of Nigeria and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency among others who blatantly burn confiscated goods and the attendant smoke recklessly billowing into the air.
Timeline of harmful acts
The NAFDAC openly burnt expired and fake drugs worth N50m in Sokoto State in March 2022.The items were burnt at Kwannawa dump site in the Dange-Shuni Local Government Area of the state.
Officials of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria have not been left out in the harmful practice as on April 7 its officials set ablaze expired packs of mosquito coil worth N8m in Kano.
In May 2022, N500m worth of substandard and falsified medicines, unwholesome processed food products, cosmetics and other counterfeit products were burnt in the North-East.
According to a statement by NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, a total of 240.15 tons of the burnt items were received from the North-East states, while 40 tons were received from GSK Pharma.
Similarly, on July 28, 2022, the NCS led other government agencies including the NAFDAC, NDLEA and the Department of State Services to openly burn 48 containers of seized pharmaceutical products in Lagos State.
In a major case, the NDLEA burnt over N194bn worth of cocaine which according to it was the biggest singular cocaine seizure in its history. In the pictures released by the agency on its official Twitter handle @ndlea_nigeria on September 27, 2022, the illicit drugs were set ablaze with the use of tyres.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami while fielding questions from State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting a week after, justified the action. He was quoted to have said the drugs were burnt to stop them from circulating in the country.
Malami said, “They were burnt because we are not drug dealers. Our obligation is to ensure that they are eliminated and stopped from circulating in the system.’’
The Nigerian military has also been accused of environmental degradation. Recently, it set ablaze a vessel laden with stolen crude oil intercepted by operatives of the privately-contracted pipeline surveillance team, Tantita Security Services.
An advocate group, Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade condemned the action of the military, adding that rather than setting the vessel ablaze, it should have discharged the crude oil contents to the NNPC Limited and carry out further investigations into the matter.
The group further said that the security agents who destroyed that vessel committed grave environmental degradation, stating that the NNPC Limited and the Defence Headquarters should call the military to order before they further abuse the environment with impunity.
Effects of acts on the environment
A study by the Coalition’s Solution Centre, International Cryosphere and Climate Initiative and researchers from Miami Ohio University and Michigan Technological University described open burning as the single largest source of black carbon, a short-lived climate pollutant that contributes to air pollution, climate change, and increased melting in the cryosphere (regions of snow and ice).
The report added that open burning also represents one of the largest causes of air pollution-related illnesses and deaths after cookstoves, noting that the smoke and spreading flames also pose a risk to neighbouring communities, buildings, and fields.
The usage of tyres
A report by EcoMENA said burning of tyres can cause air, water, and soil pollution, adding that the black fumes contain heavy metals and other harmful pollutants that linger in the air and can lead to acute to chronic health hazards.
The report added, “Open tyre fire emissions include “criteria” pollutants, such as particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, oxides of nitrogen, and volatile organic compounds. They also include “non-criteria” hazardous air pollutants such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, furans, hydrogen chloride, benzene, polychlorinated biphenyls; and metals such as cadmium, nickel, zinc, mercury, chromium, and vanadium which are extremely toxic to human health and harmful to the environment.”
Also, the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s study titled, “Air Emissions from Scrap Tyre Combustion,” stated that emissions from the burning of tyres are a serious threat to human health.
Statistics on air pollution
A recent World Bank study titled, “Cost of air pollution in Lagos,’’ estimates that illness and premature deaths due to ambient air pollution caused losses of $2.1bn in 2018, representing about 2.1 per cent of Lagos State’s Gross Domestic Product, adding that in the same year, it caused an estimated 11,200 premature deaths, the highest in West Africa.
The report added that children under five were the most affected, accounting for 60 per cent of total deaths while adults suffered from heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary.
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency in its 2022 report stated that some 22,500 children in the state died from air pollution in 2021.
Also, the WHO Global Health Observatory said an estimated 6.7 million people die each year from exposure to ambient and household air pollution. These scary deaths could have been avoided if air pollution was reduced to levels that would not increase the risk of developing diseases caused by air pollution.
Running afoul of the law
Apart from section 20 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which prescribes that the government and by extension its agencies are empowered to protect the environment, water, air, land, forest and wildlife of Nigeria; many laws have been enacted by the federal and state governments to protect the environment.
In 2021, Nigeria enacted a climate change act which is being regarded as the first piece of legislation on climate change in the whole of West Africa. The act was legislated to curtail effects of climate change in the country. The act among others created strict and penalty-motivated laws to punish offenders to instill discipline and ensure an environmentally conscious society.
There are also the National Environmental (Control of Bush /Forest Fire and Open Burning) Regulations, 2011 and the National Environmental (Air Quality Control) Regulations, 2014. But these government agencies have continued to openly burn seized goods, defying the laws of the land and frustrating the mechanism put in place to have a safe environment.
Pacts on climate change
The country is a signatory to some international agreements and conventions on climate change. For instance, Nigeria joined the 196 countries that signed the Paris Agreement in 2015. The agreement was aimed at reducing global warming from 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial ranges.
Also, the country made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent and 45 per cent with international support by 2023. In addition to these, the country pledges to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Also, the danger inherent in the unwholesome practice by NDLEA, Customs, NAFDAC among others constitute a huge threat to delivering on the Sustainable Development Goal two (Zero hunger) considering the fact that open burning of items robs the soil of its fertility by killing its nutrients and affecting food production; effect on goal three which is good health and well-being is tampered with when toxic substances are discharged into the environment ; goal 11 (sustainable cities and communities) making the environment safe for humans and animals and it will also render actions against climate change and its impacts from well-meaning advocates meaningless.
Adding to these, the activities of the agencies will hinder the actualisation of Goal 15 (life on land), making the environment vulnerable unsafe for animals and human beings.
Two laws for two groups
Our correspondent observed that governments at various levels have been reprimanding private agencies and individuals engaging in unwholesome acts unfriendly to the environment. But they do not wield the big stick against the customs, SON among others who are brazenly endangering the environment. This development perhaps emboldens the agencies to continue in the act.
For instance, Director, Lagos Waste Management Authority, Ibrahim Odumboni, at a day seminar organised by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials in 2021, disclosed that over 80 persons had been arrested and convicted for breaching environmental protection laws in the state.
Similarly, the Ondo State Waste Management Authority in January 2022 arrested more than 80 residents for alleged violation of the state environmental law.
The agency’s General Manager, Mrs Ayo Adeyemo, stated that they were arrested for bush burning among other environmental offences. She said, “We are not impressed because people did not comply. They were burning refuse and some were holding church services (during sanitation period) which should not be.”
Impact on businesses, economy
A businessman and environmental lawyer, Dr Makolo Daniel, believed that seized products such as cocaine could be given to pharmaceutical companies to help cut their production cost.
He said, “The destruction of seized and prohibited items is wrong. Is it that the seized products are not useful to humanity or prohibited by law? It is the handling of the items that made it prohibited. For example, cocaine and heroin are medical products. They are used by pharmaceutical companies, and it is the abuse of it that leads to offences that make narcotics officers go after them. Do you know that the products are expensive and acquired at high prices by companies in need of them? So why don’t you seize and give to them for free or sell at a subsidised rate? By doing this, you would reduce their cost of production. “
In his comment, a senior lecturer at the Department of Economics, Bayero University Kano, Dr. Aliyu Muhammad, said pollution could affect food production, human productivity and the country’s GDP if not addressed.
He said, “Pollution as the name implies, pollutes not just the environment but all aspects of life. Pollution kills fertility of the soil which may hamper food production. It also deals with human lives and what affects human lives will affect productivity.
“By affecting productivity, impliedly it would affect the country’s GDP. The stern review on climate change by the International Intergovernmental Panel on climate change said it would cost the globe 20 per cent of its GDP to mitigate the impact of pollution on the environment. This means whatever the world makes, 20 per cent of it will go to reduce the impact of climate change. This is to emphasise on how the pollution of the environment can affect a country’s GDP.’’
Similarly, in a 2021 study by ChristianAid titled, “Lost & Damaged: A study of the economic impact of climate change on vulnerable countries,” it warned that climate change could impact the GDP of countries.
The report stated, “Under current climate policies, on average, countries can expect to see climate change reducing their GDP by 19.6 per cent by 2050 and by 63.9 per cent by 2100. If governments limit global heating to 1.5ºC then the damage is reduced but remains significant. In a 1.5ºC world these nations will see GDP hit by 13.1per cent by 2050 and 33.1per cent by 2100. African countries will face the brunt of this economic harm with Sudan topping the list with an -83.9 per cent GDP impact by 2100 under current policies. Even with a Paris Agreement-aligned 1.5ºC future, it will see a climate-induced GDP hit of 51.6 per cent.’’
According to the report, the loss and damage can be considerably higher because the modeling approach used in the study did not take into account the impact of extreme weather events. The report, however, stated that higher investment in adaptation could lower the eventual cost.
Experts condemn practice
A renowned environmental activist, Nnimmo Bassey, condemned the practice of openly incinerating confiscated goods, calling on the agencies to devise another means of destroying the items.
He said, “The practice of burning seized goods may be good as a spectacle, but it is extremely bad for human and environmental health. NAFDAC, NDLEA, Customs and others should seek appropriate methods of disposing of seized materials especially because some of these are narcotics or other dangerous substances. Burning them in open fires is extremely hazardous and unhealthy. “
On his part, Daniel said the same punishment meted out on citizens apprehended for burning waste should be extended to the agencies involved in this noxious practice.
According to him, the open burning of the products portends great danger to living creatures in the area and can extend to others in another location.
“Destroying confiscated items causes environmental pollution. These chemicals in the items being destroyed return into the air. Also many people live around the vicinity where they burn the items. This can have an impact on their lives, even the earthworms, ants, lizards among others within the area the burning is taking place would be affected.
“You may think they are just animals, but they have values they add to the ecosystem and contribute to the overall well-being of human beings. So where lies the merits of what you are doing? This action is also capable of increasing the greenhouse emission of the country because when the items burn it goes into the atmosphere and the majority of the emissions in the country are man-made. I think burning the products should serve the same sanction as bush burning.”
He urged the agency in the interest of Nigerians to adopt an environmentally friendly way of destroying the products.
“In addition, looking at the harmful substances and other legislations on the environment, there is need for caution and modalities and a clear procedure of destroying confiscated items in the interest of all of us and the environment. We should adopt an eco-friendly means of destroying seized goods, “Daniel said.
Equipment bought but agencies abandoned it –NESREA
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency is the country’s environmental enforcement agency.
The agency condemned the practice by the agencies, adding that they were harmful to society and the environment.
NESREA’s comments were through an email response to our correspondent’s inquiry on the matter.
Titled, “Talking point on the position of NESREA on the open burning of refuse, condemned and confiscated items,” the response was signed by the agency’s Director General, Prof Aliyu Jauro.
Jauro said that the agency had developed several environmental regulations to bring all anthropogenic activities under control to achieve sustainable development in Nigeria.
He noted, “The smoke from the burning itself is injurious to human health as it is capable of causing asthma when inhaled. Emissions to the atmosphere through open burning also increase the greenhouse gases that cause global warming and climate change. The adverse effects of this practice are well pronounced on both human health and our natural biodiversity.”
He stated that his agency bought equipment designed for safe burning of seized products with minimal impact on the environment.
Jauro added that the equipment had been introduced to the regulatory agencies in the country since 2013, lamenting that many of them had yet to embrace the technology.
He stated that while some of them cited paucity of resources, other regulatory agencies were nonchalant about the usage of the equipment.
He added, “The agency procured equipment called Air Curtain Burner (Burn Boss) as a demonstration to all regulatory agencies of government for adoption.
“Refuse and biological waste, expired and contaminated food materials, fake drugs, mutilated currencies, waste forest woods, etc can be destroyed by this equipment to reduce the emission to the barest level.
“The agency in 2013 carried out a pilot demonstration of the equipment to some regulatory agencies using cannabis confiscated by NDLEA and asked them to adopt the use of the equipment. Some of these regulatory agencies have been reluctant to adopt the technology as most complain of paucity of funds. Destruction of waste is still being carried out through open burning by some of these regulatory agencies. There is also the nonchalant attitude of the regulatory communities on the sustainable disposal methods.”
He, however, advocated continuous persuasion of the concerned regulatory agencies on the adoption of the best available technology in disposal of confiscated and condemned waste.
Learning from the US experience
In a report by Cbsnews.com, titled, “How are authorities destroying seized drugs?” gave an insight into how confiscated drugs and other products are destroyed in different states in the United States of America.
According to the report, Troopers in Ohio destroy thousands of pounds of seized drugs at factories where they could be vaporised in molten steel.
The report added, “In California, where environmental regulations tend to be stricter, the legal option is usually limited to EPA-approved energy-plant incinerators that operate under emissions and security standards. Also, police in the Detroit area use a metal forging plant’s high-temperature furnace, but smaller posts use burn barrels. Indiana State Police have similar options.”
The report further said Pennsylvania State Police handle drug destruction internally, such as with a small incinerator. New York State Police use an outside contractor they won’t disclose. Besides, the report added that in West Virginia, some authorities may use fire pits or make arrangements with steel facilities.
Why we burn confiscated goods –Agencies
Reacting to the issue, NDLEA Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the best option for the agency at the moment was to burn the drugs, adding that the items were being incinerated at a safe location.
He also stated that the agency was working to acquire an incinerator.
Babafemi said,” That question has been answered over and over again. We do work with environmental pollution agencies to choose the locations that are safer for us and the populace.
“We also have another option of incinerating the drugs but at the moment we don’t have incinerators. We are pushing to acquire one until we do, the only option we have is to burn them. We can’t keep them. We can’t perpetually keep the drugs, we can’t also bury them to prevent people from going back to take them. “
On his part, the Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Customs Service, Timi Bomodi, said the service does not burn all seized items.
He said, “The service only burns pharmaceutical products and other dangerous products smuggled into the country.’’
“Which other ways would you recommend we destroy them?’’ Bomodi asked our correspondent after he was reminded of the environmental impact of open burning of the products.
He stated, “Have you contemplated the impact of the contaminated pharmaceutical products on society? From your research, you should know that other countries do not have the problem we have.
“You are talking about global warming, we contribute less than one per cent to that. The people that are causing global warming are where they are. It is not the few cartons of confiscated pharmaceutical products that are causing global warming.’’
Efforts to get the reaction of the spokesperson for the SON, Rilwan Fashina, were unsuccessful as calls to his mobile indicated that it was switched off. He was also yet to respond to a text message sent as of the time this report was filed.
Also, the agency’s Director of Public Affairs, Abubakar Jimoh, could not be reached for comments.
