-Affected communities, Liberians want EPA take proactive steps
From the Liberian capital, Monrovia to other parts of the country, there are many makeshift garages with scrap metals and abandoned vehicles which serve as a sanctuary for mosquitos and other form of pollution.
Most of these makeshift garages and several scrap depots in many parts of the country are indeed environmental, health and sanitation threats that should claim the immediate attention of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Such assertions are sustained concerns from several affected communities that are playing host to the hundreds of cars, scrap metal depots and motorbike garages in many parts of Liberia.
Few years ago, some Liberian environmental groups decried the establishment of makeshift garages and scrap depots in rural and urban cities in Liberia as potential threats to the environment.
But, such red flags, warnings and cautions were down played and the situation has escalated to the detriment of affected communities and the Liberian environment to the extent that Liberians are encountering the nightmare and menace of environmental degradations.
Specifically, scrap depots are potential conduits of environmental and health hazards due to the fact that hundreds of rusty irons are gathered or assembled and posed grave safety risks to persons connected to the sales of the scrap materials.
Several scrap dealers argue that their business endeavors are intended to empower themselves socially and economically, as the country’s financial conditions are extremely gloomy. Many citizens see the scrap business as another alternative enterprise for survival.
Several makeshift garage owners in separate interviews intimated that their business areas are legitimate and legal enterprises. And they are paying their taxes to the relevant agencies of the Liberian Government.
According to the affected residents of the affected communities in urban and rural Liberia, dirty oil from vehicle engines and carbon monoxide are being disposed of there, causing grave pollution associated with contaminated air and water borne diseases.
Besides, those wanton disposal of carbon monoxide or dirty fuel oil in the back yards of private and public facilities are also gross violations of environmental laws and regulations of Liberia, officials of EPA alluded in separate interviews with this writer.
Many affected communities in urban and rural Liberia want the EPA and other critical stakeholders to take practical and concrete steps that will ensure the sustainable protection and conservation of Liberia wetlands and the general environment of Liberia and Liberians in particular.
Both urban and rural cities and huge industrial operation areas are also perfect sites that continue to pose such hazardous environmental, sanitation and health crisis in the country.
Up to date, there are no available records and statistics that the EPA and partners have conducted any Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) of the hundreds of makeshift garages in many of Liberia urban and rural cities.
Another menace observed in many rural and urban cities is the unauthorized sites of sales of petroleum products by petty traders and even some makeshift gas stations in several parts of the country.
One of the major implications of the waste products from the makeshift garages is the threat posed to urban and rural cities and farming activities such as back yard gardens of variety of vegetables in many parts of the country.
Both urban and rural farmers and gardeners have on many occasions vented their outrage and frustration about the wanton disposal of hazardous waste products from makeshift garages in Liberia.
Therefore, the hazardous waste eventually find their way to the various wetlands and other vital ecosystem of the Liberian environment are also potential threats to the critical biodiversity beneath the waters of the various wetlands in the country.
A prominent Liberian conservationist Theo Freeman and former Technical Manager of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) described wetlands as valuable assets that continue to risk grave environmental degradation in Liberia.
But, Mr. Freeman stressed that the FDA and critical support should muster courage and fortitude to institute and enforces practical steps aimed at protecting and conserving wetlands in Liberia.
Regrettably, such sentiments and other outbursts had perpetually gone down on icy cold water and the deaf ears of authorities at the EPA and other partners over the years in Liberia. Written by Edwin M. Fayia