TOXIC NAIROBI AIRby | 21-03-2016 04:27 |
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 The World Health Organization estimates that one in eight deaths globally occurred due to air pollution. As more Kenyans migrate to cities, more industries set up and the ballooning middle class acquire more automobiles, the air in most Kenyan cities especially Nairobi will get more polluted and toxic. The air in Nairobi is toxic and causes ailments including cancer, lung and heart diseases. The Kenyan economic survey of year 2014 shows that respiratory infections resulted in the highest number of illnesses in the country. There were 14,823,846 cases reported. Kenyan roads contribute to air pollution through the emissions from the vehicles on our main roads. In Nairobi, the Central Bureau of Statistics indicate that the vehicles it import have usually been used for a number of years in their countries of origin. The vehicles emit far much higher air pollutants hence have become one of the major causes of air pollution in Nairobi. Are poor communities in Kenya more vulnerable from air pollution? Reports indicate that low income earners are the most vulnerable to air pollution. Traffic police officers, drivers of the city matatus, street vendors and factory workers are most affected. These people are exposed to the worst of factors and a polluted environment. The jobs make them susceptible to exposure hence health risks. Rural-urban migration in search of employment opportunities has led to increasingly over crowded and poor living conditions in the informal settlements has led to increasing occurrence of airborne ailments such as pneumonia. The lack of basic infrastructure and the low income levels predisposes the dwellers to reliance on open fires and traditional stoves for their daily use. Lack of clean water and sanitation has proven to be fatal. A study by Kyobutungi et al. (2008) found pneumonia as a leading cause of death among children under five in two slums in Nairobi, suggesting that air pollution is a serious threat in low-income areas. One of the best ways to tackle air pollution is to ensure that air pollution ceases. This can be done by switching to other fuels or by remodeling industrial production processes. Air pollutants emitted from industries can be trapped and removed from the air instead of allowing them to escape into the air. |
