Although Environment Day was observed last week, the celebration of Mother Nature’s immense natural gifts to mankind as our main source of nourishment is something we must be grateful all year round and every day of our lives. Yet recent years have seen our beautiful environment being degraded by modern technology and misuse of waste material that has contaminated the air, clogged our rivers, and undermined human, animal as well as marine life.
The Sunday Observer spoke to Consultant Community Physician, Environmental and Occupational Health Directorate, Ministry of Health, Dr Inoka Surweera to get her views on a subject close to her heart and to also enlighten us on why Environment Day took on a special significance this year due to the novel Covid-19 virus now spreading in the country.
Excerpts...
Q: World Environment Day was celebrated on June 5. Yet dedicating just one day to focus on the abundant and natural gifts of Mother Nature is not enough. Unfortunately in recent years these natural resources have begun diminishing at a rapid pace and plastic pollution has been cited as one of the main causes that have had an adverse effect on environmental and human health. Do you agree?
A. Plastic pollution has become one of the most important environmental issues. There is a rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic items with increasing usage world over. Most countries do not have the capacity to manage plastic waste. Improper management of plastics creates air pollution, water and especially marine, and soil pollution. The adverse issues are not only for humans but for animals too. Developing countries are more disadvantaged due to inefficient or non-existent systems of plastic waste management. This problem needs urgent solutions.
Q. In what way does overuse and mismanagement of plastic waste affect human health?
A. Let us discuss the adverse effects of mismanagement of plastic wastes first. We need good air for a healthy living. The burning of plastic releases particulate matter, dioxins, furans, carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions. It is well known that these pollute the air we breathe. Unfortunately, plastic burning happens even in Sri Lankan households when cooking is done with firewood.
Therefore, it contributes not only to outdoor air pollution but household air pollution as well. Air pollution is a significant problem world over causing detrimental health issues for humans. Management of plastic waste properly will help reduce air pollution.
If plastics are not properly disposed of or recycled, they can persist for long periods in the environment and can also degrade into small pieces that are of concern – micro plastics. These micro plastics pollute water bodies, especially, the seas. There is concern that micro plastics could have adverse health effects on humans as they move through the marine food web. Micro plastics absorb and give off chemicals and harmful pollutants. Ingredients in plastics or toxic chemicals absorbed by plastics may build up over time and stay in the environment.
Plastics that contain certain chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties have the potential of affecting human reproduction in an adverse manner. It has been shown that such chemicals even have the potential to increase the risk of hormone dependent cancers among humans.
Q. Sri Lanka has experienced unusually prolonged periods of droughts and heavy rainfall and flooding in recent months. Do you think the rise in illegal logging of trees which has resulted in Sri Lanka losing over 60 percent of her forest cover has contributed towards these unusual weather patterns considering that most lands where there were forests are now bare and there are no trees to attract the rain?
A. Natural disasters such as droughts, storms, hurricanes, floods can happen frequently and in a severe way due to climate change. Therefore, it is important to maintain adequate forest cover. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change. However, trees absorb carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Having adequate forest cover reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps combat climate change.
Q: What actions will help safeguard and protect both the environment as well as human health?
A. Environment protection is a multi-stakeholder responsibility. Proper planning and implementation of programs are necessary to achieve this. The Government, university academics, private sector organisations, environmental societies, the UN and other civil society organisations have a big role to play. All stakeholders at national, provincial, district and divisional levels need to unite and ensure action to prevent this. City planning, sustainable transport, proper waste and plastic waste management, awareness raising, practising sustainable production and consumption are some measures.
Most importantly all citizens have a responsibility to protect the environment. Simple measures such as not wasting food and water, reducing the use of plastics such as plastic shopping bags, lunch sheets, not burning wastes, can be practised among others.
We need legislation and proper enforcement. We need to change attitudes and behaviour of individuals. People need to understand the importance of protecting the environment. We need to change the attitudes and behaviour of children from the very small age to make sure that they will protect the environment. I think that is the best investment to protect the environment.
Q. I wish to now draw your attention to an important issue that the country is currently dealing with – the spread of the Covid-19 virus. What are the likely fallouts of this disease on the environment?
A. The impacts in my opinion are both positive and negative. Take the quality of air around us for example. It is so much cleaner and purer now due to restrictions in the movement of people and vehicles and other harmful emissions which have contributed towards reducing the high levels of pollution we had prior to the outbreak of Covid-19. Not only in Sri Lanka but air pollution in most cities around the world has reduced during this period. In a way Nature has benefitted. Sustainable consumption measures were adopted and these have healed Nature to a certain extent. However, we must bear in mind some simple measures that we need to practise to prevent Covid-19 having environmental impacts. The unwise use of chemicals can pollute the environment. If used masks and gloves are not properly and safely disposed of it can result in environmental pollution. It is important that while trying to prevent Covid-19, we also need to be careful not to pollute the environment.
Q. Can dust and plastics that clog our rivers carry this virus along with them to the rivers and streams thus contaminating the water used for bathing and drinking?
A. This is a novel virus. As per current knowledge, this virus can survive up to 72 hours on average in different surfaces and material.
Q. With so many myths and wrong ideas about how Covid-19 is transmitted swirling around us, tell us how exactly the virus can be transmitted.
A. The transmission of Covid-19 may happen as follows:
• Person to person transmission by direct contact with an infected person. (Eg: hugging, shaking hands). The virus can enter the body through nose, mouth or eyes.
• When an infected person coughs, talks, sneezes or exhales, surfaces and objects can get contaminated due to deposition of droplets containing the virus. If an uninfected person touches such surfaces, the hands of that person can get contaminated with the virus. When he/she touches the face, nose, mouth or eyes with contaminated hands, the novel corona virus can enter the body and infect the person.
Q. The country is now slowly getting back to normalcy and this week saw most people returning to work and travelling by buses and trains to their workplaces. Yet health officials have expressed concern that the disease which has so far been contained at cluster level could spill into the community and spread unless one strictly adheres to guidelines given by the Health Ministry. Also persons in certain occupations are more vulnerable. Your comments?
A. In most affected countries, the economies have negatively impacted due to the disruption of economic activities and Sri Lanka is no exception. However, significant measures have been taken to revive the economy by all stakeholders in Sri Lanka. Those occupations which cannot practise the basic measures of Covid-19 prevention such as physical distancing, disinfection of surfaces, washing hands and practising respiratory etiquette are more vulnerable. Additionally having large numbers of workers in workplaces too increases the vulnerability. Healthcare workers, salon workers, industries with large number of workers, are more vulnerable.
Q: Your message to the public?
A. We need to leave a healthy planet for our children and the future generations. We need to live in harmony with other living beings to sustain our life on earth. Therefore, we have a responsibility of managing plastic wastes properly. We need to understand the gravity of the problem. Reducing the use of plastic items whenever possible, reusing plastic products, recycling plastics and managing plastic waste are some measures that need to be practised by all. Each human being has a responsibility to help fight plastic pollution.
The adults have a duty to inculcate good practices that help prevent pollution of the environment among children. They need to be taught the importance of living in harmony with Nature. A healthy livable planet is the best gift we can give our children.