Garbage being burnt in the middle of the Japan Freeway @ Around 4:30 pm GMT, Wed. April 17, 2024
Photo and text by Frank Sainworla, Jr., fsainworla@yahoo.com
Countless number of pieces have been written about the grave environmental pollution caused by the reckless burning of garbage and other wastes in and around the Liberian capital, Monrovia, but they seem to be falling on death ears.
On this writer’s way from the Fendell suburb yesterday, Wednesday, this is what I saw at the Redlight market area in Paynesville in the middle of the Japan Freeway, a modern road built by the Japanese government as gift to Liberia–heap of garbage on fire.
In a flashback to a March 4, 2023 piece we did on this same subject,
Research studies done by scientists speak of grave health risk to people being expose to this kind of pollution.
“Open burning of garbage poses health risks to those exposed directly to the smoke. It especially affects people with sensitive respiratory systems, as well as children and the elderly,” Open burning of garbage: health and environmental risks – Canada.ca
Open burning of garbage poses health risks to those exposed directly to the smoke and experts say it especially affects people with sensitive respiratory systems, as well as children.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a recent report that “the health effects of air pollution are serious – one third of deaths from stroke, lung cancer and heart disease are due to air pollution.” Air Pollution @ Red-Light Market Area, Regular Burning Of Garbage: Where Is Liberia’s EPA? – News Public Trust
The Unity Pary (UP) government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is now closing in on its first 100 days in office, but the country is yet to see concrete movement on the ground regarding stockpiles of garbage and burning of waste, even though ahead of the January 22, 2024 inauguration this was raised as a priority. Many are wondering where have the brooms, shovels and other tools gone?
Someone said to me recently that” the JNK/JKK Clean-up campaign has probably died a natural death”.