CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Over the years, the issue of environmental pollution has greatly persisted and affected the lives of many individuals in our surroundings. People turn to die every day from the effects of pollution most especially those in rural areas, (Sayed, 2003).

Environmental pollution however exists in various ways which include water, air and land pollutions. But then, water and air are the two most prominent forms of environmental pollution.

The World Bank (1992) cited the fact that indoor air pollution from cooking and heating with traditional fuels has been designated as one of the four most critical environmental problems in developing countries.

As such, Rural Communities turn to suffer more from issues of environmental problems because of its continuous use of solid fuels, fuel wood which produces a lot of smoke considered detrimental to wellbeing.

However, the issue of environmental pollution has turn out to be on the lips of every individual, government and international organizations who sort to come up with survival strategies to combat this problem

1.1 Background of the Study

For many years as it seems, environmental pollution has been one of the major issues affecting the health of individuals both in urban and rural areas.

Environmental pollution according to The European Union Water Framework Directive (2011) is, ‘the direct or indirect introduction, as a result of human activity, of substances or heat into the water or land which may be harmful to human health or the quality of aquatic ecosystems or terrestrial ecosystems, which result in damage to material property or which impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment.

The UNDP (2001) defines environment as a life supporting system for human existence and survival as well as provides required for socio-economic progress.

However, according to Halle Ekane (2018) the activities carried out by man in his surrounding greatly affects the environment in which we live in and which turns to have an adverse effect on the health of its inhabitants.

Man’s activities include primary, secondary and tertiary activities. Primary activities include that of agriculture which involves the process of soil preparation, tilling, planting and harvesting. This involves the use of chemicals such as pesticides which are eventually washed by rain water into rivers and streams which penetrates into the soil affecting ground water as well as drinking, washing and bathing water sources.

These chemicals not only affect water points but also will kill living organisms in the soil that helps moisturizes the soil and keep it fertilized. Sometimes these chemicals remain on the crops we harvest and when consumed result to illnesses and diseases affecting people’s health.

However, chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used by farmers to protect crops from insects and bacteria. Though these chemicals are important in soil conservation, they turn to affect plants and animals. When these chemicals are wash-off by rain water, they flow down into rivers and canals which pose serious damages for aquatic animals(Halle, 2018).

More to that, man’s activities that involves secondary activities has been found and regarded as one of the main causes of environmental pollution in the surrounding area we live in. these activities involve use of machines by factories to processed products for consumption and exchange.

For example, the burning of fossil fuels which comes from Sulphur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuel like coal, petroleum and other factory combustibles.

Another example according to Sayed (2003), is the location of factory’s engine machines in the sea for cooling, but then in the process of cooling, the surrounding water is made warm unfit for fish survival.

Furthermore, in the process of rendering services such as car servicing by a mechanic, engine oil spills on the floor, this oil doesn’t dissolve in water and as such turns to float. Oil pollution caused by oil spills from tankers and oil from ship travel.

Oil does not dissolve in water and forms a thick sludge.

According to Halle (2018), man’s activities of dumping, littering of waste constantly into the sea is another source of environmental pollution in that the water carries this waste material back into the surrounding area thereby making the whole area nasty and polluted.

However, the activities of man in his surrounding has greatly polluted it making it unfit for survival. Le Goffe (1995) says that contact with unsafe drinking water and bathing water can impose serious risks (both acute and chronic) to human health. This can result to body rashes, cholera, malaria, typhoid. As such extra care needs to be taken when materials (waste) are been disposed of.

Also, man’s activities resulting to the pollution of the environment turns to create problems with breathing and also affecting women’s reproductive organs. According to Staci Jeanne Krupp, (2011), environmental pollution can affect the functioning of women’s reproductive organs and can impact the health of a fetus.

This range from fertility to miscarriages to birth defects, for instance, the ozone layer may be damaging to women’s reproductive system.

The world Bank Organization investigation for the year 2000 unveiled cooking as a dangerous undertaking and indoor air pollution from burning solid fuel as one of the top ten global health risks.

This only indicates that a lot of smoke is been inhaled by individuals during the process of cooking which turns to have adverse effects on their health both in the long run and short run. Issues of cancer, difficulties in breathing due to too much intake of carbon monoxide.

As a result of this, women turn to be mostly affected especially poor rural women in developing countries. They are being exposed more to indoor air pollutants as a result of their role of cooking and caring of children and other family members. Smith (1996) says that women do much of the cooking especially among biomass-fuel-using households. They are therefore prone to fires and burns than men.

More to that, Royakelishadi, (2012) said that environmental pollutants have various adverse health effects from early life especially in women. Some of the most important harmful effects are perinatal disorders, infant mortality, respiratory disorders, allergy, malignancies, cardiovascular disorders, increase in stress oxidative, endothelial dysfunctions, mental disorders.

Furthermore, women’s bodies respond differently to those of men to different pollutants. As such, they are affected more. Smith, (1996) mentioned carbon monoxide (CO) as a major component of biomass smoke of particular concern to women.

With all these activities carried out by man in the various communities, MabetaNjanga is no exemption. With its location closer to the Atlantic Ocean and located in the LimbeIII in Fako Division, its considered as a risk zone. Ayonghe, (2015). Inhabitants of this community barely have a toilet, as such the sea shores come a toilet for their excrement. But then whatever they put into the sea is brought back to them

This community being located along the sea uses the sea as its dumping ground for waste products from household waste products used by individuals such as polythene bags which does not easily decomposed are constantly being dumped into the sea.

This community is however located closer to the main engine tanks of the SONARA refinery in the sea. As such oil spillage from these engines causes great pollution to the surrounding. The burning of combustibles in the air as well the Atlantic Ocean bringing in waste into this environment contaminating drinking water sources causing major problems to the surrounding (IYEC reports 2017).

As earlier mentioned, man’s activities in his surrounding causes a lot of problems to his health. MabetaNjanga inhabitants engaged in farming and fishing activities. Fishing mainly crayfish which they dry with the use of biomass fuel detrimental to their health. While the men are in charge of catching (or fishing), the women do the drying in their various bans.

According to FodayBojang, (2009) the inhabitants engage in the falling of the mangrove tree in order to satisfy their need for fuel wood. The falling of this mangrove makes smaller fish homeless; it affects the ozone layer greatly and the women who do the drying turns to inhale a lot of smoke causing cardiovascular diseases.

Farming activities involves used of pesticides in order to ensure a good harvest but then these products turn to be harmful to the surrounding. It grows crops such as cocoa, plantain, cocoa-yams and many other farm products.

In the process of preparing and conserving the soil, pesticides are being used which are sometimes wash off into rivers and streams thereby polluting water sources making it unfit for washing and drinking (Rinkesh, 2018).

Rashes, ringworm, cholera, malaria are mainly prominent among individuals in this region most especially women and children. As such their activities results to a great level of environmental pollution which must be looked into.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite the many environmental laws and strategies put in place by waste management agencies like HYSACAM to ensure that the sea shore is always clean including that of MabetaNjanga, environmental pollution still persist, David Briggs (2003).

This comes not only from their activities of fishing and farming but also from industrial waste deposit by companies such as SONARA which comes right back into the surrounding making it nasty.

Women occupying more than half of this population are mainly involved in drying fish, they are in charge of the cooking and caring of the family as a whole and as such work for 24hours a day which turns to affect the health situations and sometimes result to diseases and illnesses.

With the absence of toilet, the seashores become a toilet for excrement but then, whatever deposit is made into the Atlantic Ocean is brought back into the surrounding, creating breeding grounds for mosquito larvae, causing malaria and polluting water sources.

This study however seeks to identify these effects and survival strategies to environmental pollution and women’s health.

1.3 Research Questions

Main Research Question

❖         What accounts for the socio-economic effect of environmental pollution on the health of women in MabetaNjanga?

Specific Research Questions

1. What are the causes of environmental pollution in MabetaNjanga?
2. What are the effects of environmental pollution on women’s health in MabetaNjanga?
3. What are the possible solutions that can reduce the effects of environmental pollution on women’s health in MabetaNjanga?

Read Also: Gender Studies Project Topics with Materials