Ahad, 14 Oktober 2012

Timah Hitam dalam Pakaian

Lead and fabrics

27102010 http://oecotextiles.wordpress.com/tag/heavy-metals/

We published a post about lead in fabrics about a year ago, but I thought it was important enough to remind you of the dangers of lead in fabrics, because we’re starting to see claims of “heavy metal free” dyestuffs used in fabrics. What does that mean?

Lead is considered one of those “heavy metals’ , along with mercury, cadmium, copper and others – all highly toxic to humans. “Heavy metal” is defined as any metallic element that has a relatively high density and is toxic or poisonous at low concentrations.

Heavy metals are natural components of the Earth’s crust. They cannot be degraded or destroyed. Interestingly, small amounts of these elements are common in our environment and diet and are actually necessary for good health. Lead can even be found in natural fibers, such as cotton, flax and hemp, which can absorb it from the environment.

It’s when our bodies have to deal with large amounts of these heavy metals that we get into trouble. Heavy metal poisoning could result, for instance, from drinking-water contamination (e.g. lead pipes), high ambient air concentrations near emission sources, intake via the food chain or through skin absorption – and in the case of crawling children, from inhaling carpet particles or other abraded textiles in dust. For some heavy metals, toxic levels can be just above the background concentrations naturally found in nature. Therefore, it is important for us to inform ourselves about the heavy metals and to take protective measures against excessive exposure. Lead accounts for most of the cases of pediatric heavy metal poisoning, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

Lead is a neurotoxin – it affects the human brain and cognitive development, as well as the reproductive system. Some of the kinds of neurological damage caused by lead are not reversible. Specifically, it affects reading and reasoning abilities in children, and is also linked to hearing loss, speech delay, balance difficulties and violent tendencies. (1)

A hundred years ago we were wearing lead right on our skin. I found this article funny and disturbing at the same time:

“Miss P. Belle Kessinger of Pennsylvania State College pulled a rat out of a warm, leaded-silk sack, noted that it had died of lead poisoning, and proceeded to Manhattan. There last week she told the American Home Economics Association that leaded silk garments seem to her potentially poisonous. Her report alarmed silk manufacturers who during the past decade have sold more than 100,000,000 yards of leaded silk without a single report of anyone’s being poisoned by their goods. Miss Kessinger’s report also embarrassed Professor Lawrence Turner Fairhall, Harvard chemist, who only two years ago said: ‘No absorption of lead occurs even under extreme conditions as a result of wearing this material in direct contact with the skin’. “

This was published in Time magazine, in 1934. (Read the full article here. )

According to Ruth Ann Norton, executive director of the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, “There are kids who are disruptive, then there are ‘lead’ kids – very disruptive, very low levels of concentration.”

Children with a lead concentration of less than 10 micrograms ( µ) per deciliter (dl = one tenth of a liter) of blood scored an average of 11.1 points lower than the mean on the Stanford-Binet IQ test. (2) Consistent and reproducible behavioral effects have been seen with blood levels as low as 7 µ/dl (micrograms of lead per tenth liter of blood), which is below the Federal standard of 10 µ/dl. The image depicts what happens to human beings at the various levels of lead in blood. Scientists are generally in agreement that there is no “safe” level of blood lead. Lead is a uniquely cumulative poison: the daily intake of lead is not as important a determinant of ultimate harm as is the duration of exposure and the total lead ingested over time.

Lead is widely used in consumer products, from dyestuffs made with lead (leading to lead poisoning in seamstresses at the turn of the century, who were in the habit of biting off their threads) (3), to lead in gasoline, which is widely credited for reduced IQ scores for all children born in industrialized countries between 1960 and 1980 (when lead in gasoline was banned). Read more about this here.

Lead is used in the textile industry in a variety of ways and under a variety of names:

Lead acetate dyeing of textiles

Lead chloride preparation of lead salts

Lead molybdate pigments used in dyestuffs

Lead nitrate mordant in dyeing; oxidizer in dyeing(4)

Fabrics sold in the United States, which are used to make our clothing, bedding and many other products which come into intimate contact with our bodies, are totally unregulated – except in terms of required labeling of percentage of fiber content and country of manufacture. There are NO laws which pertain to the chemicals used as dyestuffs, in processing, in printing, or as finishes applied to textiles, except those that come under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976, which is woefully inadequate in terms of addressing the chemicals used by industry. With regard to lead, products cannot contain more than 100 ppm – despite many studies that show there is no safe level for lead. In fact, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) has announced that the 32 year old TSCA needs a complete overhaul (5), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was quick to agree! (6). Lisa Jackson, head of the EPA, said on September 29, 2009 that the EPA lacks the tools it needs to protect people and the environment from dangerous chemicals.

Fabrics are treated with a wide range of substances that have been proven not to be good for us. That’s why we feel it’s important to buy third party certified FABRICS, not just certified organic fibers (which do nothing to guarantee the dyestuffs or finish chemicals used in the fabric) such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) or Oeko Tex, both of which prohibit the use of lead in textile processing.

The United States has new legislation which lowers the amount of lead allowed in children’s products – and only children’s products. (This ignores the question of how lead in products used by pregnant women may affect their fetus. Research shows that as the brains of fetuses develop, lead exposure from the mother’s blood can result in significant learning disabilities.) The new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) had requirements to limit lead content in children’s products (to be phased in over three years) so that by August 14, 2011, lead content must be 100 ppm (parts per million) or less.

However there was an outcry from manufacturers of children’s bedding and clothing, who argued that the testing for lead in their products did not make sense, because:

it placed an unproductive burden on them, and
it required their already safe products to undergo costly or unnecessary testing.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to exempt textiles from the lead testing and certification requirements of the CPSIA, despite the fact that lead accounts for most of the cases of pediatric heavy metal poisoning, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

So let me repeat here: the daily intake of lead is not as important a determinant of ultimate harm as is the duration of exposure and the total lead ingested over time.

Children are uniquely susceptible to lead exposure over time, and neural damage occurring during the period from 1 to 3 years of age is not likely to be reversible. It’s also important to be aware that lead available from tested products would not be the only source of exposure in a child’s environment. Although substantial and very successful efforts have been made in the past twenty years to reduce environmental lead, children are still exposed to lead in products other than toys or fabrics. Even though it was eliminated from most gasoline in the United States starting in the 1970s, lead continues to be used in aviation and other specialty fuels. And from all those years of leaded gasoline, the stuff that came out of cars as fuel exhaust still pollutes soil along our roadways, becoming readily airborne and easily inhaled. All lead exposure is cumulative – so it’s important to eliminate any source that’s within our power to do so.

(1) “ ‘Safe’ levels of lead still harm IQ”, Associated Press, 2001

(2) Ibid.

(3) Thompson, William Gilmsn, The Occupational Diseases, 1914, Cornell University Library, p. 215

[4] “Pollution of Soil by Agricultural and Industrial Waste”, Centre for Soil and Agroclimate Research and Development, Bogor, Indonesia, 2002. http://www.agnet.org/library/eb/521/

(4) http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp13-c5.pdf

(5) http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2009/January/29010901.asp

(6) http://www.bdlaw.com/news-730.html

Pewarna Sintetik dan Pewarna Asli

Pewarna sintetik dan pewarna asli

I thought we’d take a look at the dyeing process because so many people ask if we use “natural” dyes. The answer is no, we don’t (although we’re not entirely objecting to natural dyes), and I hope the next two blogs will explain our position! Let’s first take a look at what makes the dyes (and how they are applied) an area of concern.

Dyeing cloth is one of our oldest industries; people used natural products found around them to change the color of the fibers used to make their cloth – things like leaves, berries, or roots. The first synthetic dye was created in 1856. Today the use of natural dyes on a commercial scale has almost disappeared (except for a resurgence in the craft market) in favor of the newer synthetic dyes. The production of synthetic chemical dyestuffs has become big business, but unfortunately the production and use of these synthetic dyes is one of the world’s most polluting industries. Conventional synthetic dyes present health risks to those working with them and to those who wear them, as well as damaging the environment in a number of ways. Why?

Dyes are compounds that can be dissolved in solvents, usually water. The process of dyeing cloth uses a great quantity of water – according to the United States EPA, it takes an average of 5 – 35 gallons of water for every pound of finished fabric. That translates into 125 – 875 gallons of water to dye 25 yards of fabric – enough to cover one sofa![1]

The dyes in solution are absorbed by the fibers. The process of transferring the dye from the water to the fiber is called exhaustion or “fixation rate”, with 100% exhaustion meaning there is no dye left in the dyebath solution. Most conventional dyes have an exhaustion rate of 80%, meaning the dyestuff which is not affixed to the fiber is flushed into our rivers with the spent process water. Each year the global textile industry discharges 40,000 – 50,000 tons of dye into our rivers, and more than 200,000 tons of salt.[2]

One of the most pressing issues today is the lack of fresh drinking water, and as one of the most polluting industries, textiles – and especially the dyeing of textiles – is responsible for many instances of pollution making fresh water undrinkable. In the worst cases, communities have to use polluted water to drink, wash clothes, bathe and irrigate crops and the toxins they’re exposed to can have catastrophic effects. Even in those instances where water treatment is in place, toxic sludge is a byproduct of the process. Often sludge is sent to the landfill, but the toxicity of the sludge remains – containing, among others, heavy metals, gypsum, malachite green (identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a priority chemical for carcinogenicity testing).

The 40,000 to 50,000 tons of synthetic dyestuffs expelled into our rivers are complex chemical formulations containing some things that are very toxic to us, such as heavy metals (like lead, mercury, chromium, zinc, cobalt and copper), benzene and formaldehyde. Many certifications, such as the new Global Organic Textile Standard and Oeko-Tex, restricts the kinds of chemicals allowed in certified products. For example, GOTS restricts amine releasing AZO dyes and disperse dyes (must be <30 mg/kg); chromium, cobalt, copper, nickel, mercury, lead, antimony and arsenic are all restricted (rather than prohibited as many people believe). So the dye formulation means a lot when you’re evaluating the eco credentials of a fabric – but almost never will you be able to find out what dye was used in any particular fabric. Copyright: Jucheng Hu

In addition to the formulation, there are requirements that dyestuffs must meet regarding oral toxicity, aquatic toxicity, biodegradability, eliminability and bi-accumulation in fatty tissues. The GOTS details are on their website: www.global-standard.org. Some dyestuff producers advertise that they have a dye group that meets these standards, such as Huntsman and Clariant. So the formulation of dyes used makes a big difference – look for dyestuffs that have been certified by a third party, such as GOTS.

Remember that if the average exhaustion rate is 80% for most dyes (i.e., that 20% of the dyestuff is expelled with the wastewater) then that means that 80% of the dyestuff remains in the fabric! In other words, those toxic chemicals remain in the fabrics you bring into your homes. What do I mean by “toxic” – if you can stand it, I’ll give a short synopsis of the effects some of these chemicals found in many dyestuffs have on us:

Mercury : Easily absorbed thru the skin or inhalation of dust which contains residues; effects the immune system, alters genetic and enzyme systems, damages the nervous system. Particularly damaging to developing embryos, which are 5 to 10 times more sensitive than adults.
Lead : Easily absorbed thru the skin or inhalation of dust which contains residues. Impacts nervous system. Even low levels of lead can reduce IQ, stunt growth and cause behavior problems.
Chromium : Necessary for insulin activity and an essential trace metal; at toxic levels it causes squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.
Copper : Fatigue, insomnia, osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, migraine headaches, seizures. Mental disorders include depression, anxiety, mood swings, phobias, panic attacks and attention deficit disorders.
Cadmium : Extremely toxic to humans because of its inhibition of various enzyme systems; primary target organ is the kidney; but also causes lung cancer ; also causes testicular damage and male sterility. Plants readily absorb cadmium from the soil so it easily enters food chain. Chronic exposure is associated with renal disease.
Sodium chloride (salt) : not toxic in small doses (thankfully for me and my salt addiction), but the industry uses this in such high volumes it becomes an environmental hazard; an organochlorine (the class of organochlorines are very stable (i.e. does not break down into other compounds) and they bioaccumulate; 177 different organochlorines have been found in the average population in Canada and the US. Each person has a unique level at which this build-up becomes critical and triggers a wide range of health problems.) Well known effects of chronic organochlorine contamination include hormonal disruption, infertility and lowered sperm counts, immune system suppression, learning disabilities, behavioral changes, and damage to the skin, liver and kidneys. Newborns, infants, children, childbearing women and the elderly are even more vulnerable to these health impacts.
Toluene: affects the central nervous system; symptoms range from slight drowsiness, fatigue and headaches, to irritation of the respiratory tract, mental confusion and incoordination; higher concentrations can result in unconsciousness and death. Prolonged contact can cause dermatitis. Teratogenic, embryotoxic.
Benzene: Highly carcinogenic, linked to all types of leukemia but believed to cause the rarer forms (acute myelogenous leukemis (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL); effects the bone marrow and decrease of red blood cells, leading to anemia, excessive bleeding and/or immune system disfunction. Low levels cause rapid heart rate, dizziness, headaches, tremors, confusion. Easily absorbed by skin

Better Thinking Ltd., a UK based organization, took a look at the dyes used in the industry and what they do to us and our environment. They published their findings in a paper called “Dyeing for a Change” which explains the various synthetic dyes available and how they’re used. (Click here to read about it.)

There are several classes of dyes:

1. Direct dyes: given this name because they color the fibers “directly” and eliminates the need for a mordant (the chemical fixing agent lots of dyes need). Azo dyes are a type of direct dye made from a nitrogen compound; azo dyes are known to give off a range of carcinogenic particles and have been banned in many places, including the EU. Effluent contains 5 – 20% of original dyestuff, plus salt and dye fixing agents.

2. Vat dyes: these dyes need a powerful reducing agent, such as alkali, to make them soluble. Expensive and complicated to use, effluent contains 5 – 20% of residual dyestuffs, plus reducing agents, oxidizing agents, detergents and salts.

3. Sulphur dyes: 90% of all sulphur dyes contain sodium sulphide, which endangers life and alters DNA, corrodes sewage systems, damages treatment works and leads to high pH and unpleasant odors. Effluent contains 30 – 40% of the dyestuff plus alkalis and salt.

4. Reactive dyes: these dyes bond directly with the fibers, rather than merely remaining as an independent chemical entity within the fiber. Applied with relatively cool water (saving energy) and

Of all the classes of synthetic dyes, a subset of “reactive” dyes (called “low impact fiber reactive”) seems to be the best environmental choice. As “Dyeing for a Change” explains:

Low-impact reactive dyes are usually defined as “low impact” because of the supposed lower fixation rate – however, these dyes have a fixation rate of at least 70%, which still leaves much room for improvement. What does make them “low impact” and classified by the EU as eco-friendly: they have been formulated to contain no heavy metals or other known toxic substances, and do not need mordants. The high cost of this dye becomes an environmental advantage, as it is cheaper to reclaim dye from the effluent rather than discharge it all and start from scratch. The water can also be recycled. The dye cycle is shorter than it is for other dye processes, meaning less water, salt and chemicals are needed. The entire process normally occurs at a pH of around 7.0, meaning no acids or alkalis need to be added to the water.

However, there are still disadvantages: like other environmentally damaging dyes, these dyes are made from synthetic petrochemicals. The process requires very high concentrations of salt (20%-80% of the weight of the goods dyed), alkali and water. Even if the unfixed dye is reclaimed, the effluent from this process can still contain high concentrations of salts, surfactants and defoamers, and is strongly alkaline. It’s also quite expensive, whereas conventional dye is cheap. This process’ effluent normally contains salt, alkali, detergent and between 20% to 50% of dye used. As reactive dyes currently make up 50% of world dye consumption, more knowledge on how to improve upon this method is needed.

Fortunately, research is being undertaken in this area, and a number of companies have produced products that improve on its impacts. It’s been found that, by pre-treating cotton with 120g of phosphate buffer per kg of fabric, no salt or alkali is needed in the dyeing process as the process can occur at a neutral pH. It also means the amount of water required can be halved and the whole dyeing process can be significantly reduced, presenting additional benefits in the form of cost savings. Compared to the other chemicals used to dye fabric the conventional way, this is a relatively low concentration, and its high exhaustion value means the effluent would only contain it in small proportions, making it a greener alternative. And British scientists have developed a way to use algae (called diatoms) to color the fabric – eliminating dyes entirely![3]

So you see why water treatment is critical – even if a dyestuff has a rather benign chemical formulation, the associated salts, defoamers and fixing agents must be dealt with. We chose low impact fiber reactive GOTS approved dyestuffs for our fabrics – and we made sure that all wastewater is treated adequately before release. But that’s not good enough – partly because there is still the question of the sludge created during the process and partly because we need to make sure that ALL process inputs have a benign chemical profile.

Tune in next week, when the subject will be “natural” dyes – hopefully the discussion will clear up our thinking on synthetic vs. natural dyes.

[1]“Analysis of the Potential Benefits of Recycled Water Use in Dye Houses”, Water 3 Engineering, Inc., April 2005.

[2] Dyeing for a Change, page 4

[3] Madrigal, Alexis, “How Pond Scum Could Lead to Eco-Friendly Fabric and Paint”, Wired magazine, 10.11.07

Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: chemical-laden, fabric, Global Organic Textile Standard, GOTS, healthy, heavy metals, natural dyes, natural fibers, sustainable, synthetic dyes, Textile, textiles, water
Categories : dyes, processing and manufacturing, Textile

Air Anda Tercemar

(1) Sembilan tahun hidu bau busuk

Oleh Elrafaei Sapi
ahmadelrafaei@hmetro.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Pertubuhan Keselamatan Mutu Air Kumbahan dan Air Malaysia (Pentas) menggesa Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) mengambil tindakan segera mengatasi masalah perkhidmatan pembentungan di dua kawasan loji berdekatan Pandan Indah dan Kampung Pandan. Pengasas merangkap Timbalan Presiden, Pentas, Syed Abdul Razak Al Sagoff berkata, masalah timbul apabila penduduk di kawasan berkenaan mengadu menghidu bau busuk dipercayai berpunca perkhidmatan pembentungan tidak berfungsi dengan baik termasuk air kumbahan mengalir ke longkang. “Masalah ini berlaku sejak sembilan tahun lalu apabila penduduk sering mengadu menghidu bau busuk. Penduduk seolah-olah menjadi tebusan apabila membayar caj perkhidmatan pembentungan IWK tetapi perkhidmatan tidak memuaskan,” katanya di sini, semalam.

Menurutnya, IWK sepatutnya memberi perkhidmatan baik pada penduduk yang membayar caj perkhidmatan pembentungan. Malah, aspek penyelenggaraan di loji dijalankan dengan teliti agar tidak memberi kesan negatif pada penduduk. “Apa yang membimbangkan, bau busuk ini boleh menjejaskan kesihatan penduduk. Ini adalah masalah serius dan perhatian perlu diberikan pada loji rawatan kumbahan yang tidak berfungsi dengan baik,” katanya. Syed Abdul Razak berkata, Pentas mencadangkan IWK perlu mengemukakan bukti seperti masa penyelenggaraan yang dilakukan pada penduduk jika mengatakan loji terbabit diselenggara.

“Saya yakin masih ada loji rawatan kumbahan di kawasan lain yang tidak berfungsi dengan baik. Sepatutnya, IWK tahu memilih teknologi yang berupaya mengendalikan perkhidmatan pembentungan dengan sempurna,” katanya. Katanya, Pentas mewakili penduduk bukan mahu air kumbahan dirawat sehingga diproses menjadi air minuman seperti dilakukan Singapura tetapi meminta IWK membaiki loji terbabit dengan segera. Setiausaha Persatuan Penduduk Pangsapuri Inai, Pandan Indah, Abu Hasan Tamby pula berkata, penduduk berharap IWK melakukan penyelenggaraan enam bulan sekali atau sekurang-kurangnya dua kali setahun. “Penduduk membayar RM8 sebulan untuk caj perkhidmatan pembentungan tetapi apabila kami memanggil IWK untuk datang, kami diminta membayar caj lain,” katanya.

(2) Pentas gesa IWK lantik kontraktor berpengalaman baiki loji

KUALA LUMPUR 5 Okt. - Pertubuhan Keselamatan Mutu Air Kumbahan dan Air Malaysia (Pentas) menggesa Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) Sdn. Bhd. agar melantik kontraktor berpengalaman bagi mengurus loji di sekitar Ampang dekat sini yang tidak disenggara dengan baik dan sempurna. Timbalan Presiden Pentas, Syed Abdul Razak Alsagoff berkata, IWK perlu memandang dengan serius perkara tersebut kerana ia melibatkan soal kesihatan dan keselesaan penduduk sekitar loji berkenaan. "Kegagalan IWK mengurus loji dengan baik menyebabkan air kumbahan dari loji mengalir terus ke longkang besar yang mengakibatkan longkang menjadi busuk dan tersumbat.

"Antara loji yang perlu diberi perhatian ialah yang terletak bersebelahan dengan Pangsapuri Pandan Indah dan Kampung Pandan," katanya pada sidang akhbar mengenai perkara tersebut di sini hari ini. Sebelum ini, menurut Syed Abdul Razak, pihaknya telah mengemukakan perkara tersebut kepada IWK namun jawapan yang diterima mendukacitakan. "Jawapan yang diberikan bukannya kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh jurutera yang mengurus loji tersebut. "Setelah membuat pemeriksaan, kami mendapati loji masih rosak dan tidak dibaiki," ujarnya.

Sementara itu, Setiausaha Persatuan Penduduk Pangsapuri Inai, Abu Hassan Thambi berkata, masalah tersebut telah berlaku sejak 20 tahun lalu. "Apabila Pentas membuat sidang media sebelum ini, barulah IWK datang dan membaiki loji yang rosak. "Namun apa yang saya lihat, mereka tidak membaiki sepenuhnya kerana air masih mengalir keluar dari loji," katanya. Dalam pada itu, seorang penduduk Pandan Indah, T. Seroja, 50, berkata, dia terpaksa menghidu bau busuk yang datang dari loji berhampiran hampir setiap hari. "Perkara itu menyebabkan saya mengambil keputusan berpindah ke rumah lain di sekitar Pandan Indah. Bau busuk masih ada, namun tidak seteruk seperti sebelum ini," ujarnya. Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Kota/20121006/wk_03/Pentas-gesa-IWK-lantik-kontraktor-berpengalaman-baiki-loji#ixzz28WqWT2nb © Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd

(3) Kerajaan Negeri Diminta Gubal Undang-undang Berhubung Sisa Kumbahan

KIJAL, 2 Mei (Bernama) -- Semua kerajaan negeri diminta supaya menggubal undang-undang khusus bagi memantau dan mengawal pembuangan air kumbahan terutama di kawasan luar bandar bagi memastikan kualiti sungai terus terpelihara. Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid berkata sekiranya pembuangan sisa kumbahan itu tidak ditangani dengan lebih serius, ia boleh menyebabkan kualiti sungai dalam negara tercemar dengan teruk. "Di kawasan perbandaran, memang sudah ada satu agensi iaitu IWK yang bertanggungjawab mempertingkatkan kualiti air, yang menjadi masalah ialah di luar kawasan majlis bandaran di mana tiada undang-undang begitu. "Di kawasan yang dibangunkan rumah-rumah haram oleh setinggan, mereka ini juga tiada sistem berkenaan, jadi selagi tiada undang-undang khusus mengenai perkara ini, maka penguatkuasaan juga sukar dilaksanakan," katanya. Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan seminar Sains Kemapanan dan Pengurusan Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) yang bertemakan "Kemapanan dan Kesihatan Persekitaran Marin yang Terancam" di Awana Kijal di sini hari ini. Turut hadir ialah Naib Canselor UMT, Prof Datuk Dr Sulaiman Md Yassin dan Ketua Pengarah Perikanan Datuk Junaidi Che Ayub. Azmi berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas kenyataan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak semalam bahawa kerajaan sudah mengarahkan semua kerajaan negeri supaya mengambil tindakan segera bagi memastikan masalah pencemaran sungai tidak berterusan. Najib berkata penguatkuasaan yang lebih efektif dan tegas perlu dilakukan kerana sungai tercemar akibat pembuangan pelbagai bahan ke sungai. Sebelum ini, laporan akhbar memetik kajian Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) mendapati 91 peratus kes pencemaran sungai di negara ini berpunca daripada najis manusia. Mengulas lanjut, Azmi berkata pada masa ini hanya kira-kira 30 peratus rakyat Malaysia yang tinggal di luar daripada majlis perbandaran atau pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT). "Saya mengaku, antara penyebab kepada kualiti air sungai yang mengalir ke laut terjejas adalah air kumbahan. Sebahagian besar daripada air kumbahan ini datangnya dari kawasan perumahan di kawasan perbandaran (PBT). Tetapi ada juga yang datangnya dari luar kawasan perbandaran dan kawasan setinggan," katanya. -- BERNAMA

Tolong Fikirkan:

Dari 3 petikan Artikel di atas, jelas kita semua setuju bahawasanya air kumbahan atau effluents dari kolam pengoksidaan (oxidation ponds) akan melimpah dan masuk ke longkang2 besar! Ada berjuta-juta kondominium dan apartment di Lembah Kelang dan masalahnya air effluents najis ini akan masuk longkang besar seterusnya dari longkang besar memasuki anak sungai. Dari anak sungai memasuki sungai sungai utama dan dihilir sungai air akan diambil untuk dirawat menjadi air minuman penduduk Lembah Kelang!!! Masalahnya adalah loji perawatan air di Malaysia kesemuanya telah lapok ketinggalan zaman kerana masih menggunakan teknoloji British semenjak zaman sebelum merdeka! Berbeza dengan Singapura, Eropah, Australia, NZ, Jepun dan Amerika yang menggunakan teknoloji terkini, air di negara mereka boleh anda terus minum sedari mengalir dari paip air !

Pencemaran najis ini ditambah buruk dengan pencemaran air dari serbuk pencuci sintetik yang mengalir masuk ke longkang2 besar seterusnya memasuki anak2 sungai akhirnya masuk ke sungai2 utama. Serbuk pencuci sintetik adalah juga menjadi punca pencemaran air. Pusat racun negara mengesahkan bahawasanya serbuk pencuci sintetik dalam air minum boleh memulakan sel sel normal manusia bertukar menjadi sel sel kanser. (Sila klik: http://www.prn.usm.my/bulletin_articles_racun.php?Id=22 !!!) Malang sekali kerana selalunya pengambilan air untuk dirawat jadi air minuman dibuat di hilir sungai kerana air di hilir sungai lebih banyak daripada air di hulu sungai!!

Selain daripada berjuta juta buah rumah, kondominium & apartment, terdapat juga ratusan ribu restoran 24 jam yang membuang pencuci sintetik (pencuci pinggan mangkuk) ke dalam sungai!

Memburukkan lagi keadaan apabila ribuan pusat dobi 24 jam dan car wash 24 jam menggunakan pencuci sintetik dan air dialirkan ke longkang besar yang akhirnya memasuki sungai!!!

Ini belum diambilkira masalah ribuan kilang kilang (Small Medium Enterprise) seperti kilang elektronik, kilang besi, kilang plastik, kilang papan yang mengalirkan asid dan buangan kimia mereka ke dalam longkang yang akhirnya akan masuk ke sungai!

Juga masalah bengkel kereta, bengkel motor dan kilang jentera yang mengalirkan minyak hitam ke dalam sungai!!! Dukacita sekali, loji pengambilan air untuk dirawat memang selalunya diletakkan di hilir sungai!!!

Antara bukti terbaik permasaalahan isu diatas ambil satu contoh iaitu Sungai Langat dan Sungai Semenyih di mana kedua dua sungai ini akan bercantum dekat Sekolah Menengah Teknik Sepang. Sebelum kedua dua sungai ini bercantum, masing masingnya telah melalui kawasan bandar dengan penduduk berkepadatan tinggi dan juga melalui kawasan kawasan industri pekilangan! Umpamanya, Sungai Langat bermula dari selebar 8 kaki saja di Kg. Kuala Pangsun dan Kg. Lepok di kaki Banjaran Titiwangsa! Ia beransur ansur melebar apabila sampai ke Dusun Tua seterusnya masuk ke Pekan Batu 14. Seterusnya, sungai memasuki pekan Cheras-Balakong yang penuh industri dan kawasan perumahan! Sungai Langat memasuki kawasan Industri Cheras Jaya, seterusnya membelah pekan Kajang, Pekan Sungai Chua, Jalan Reko, UKM, lalu sangat hampir dengan kolam kumbahan di belakang NIOSH, seterusnya bercantum dengan Sungai Semenyih dekat Sekolah Menengah Teknik Sepang.

Sungai Semenyih itu, sebelum bercantum tidak kurang hebatnya! Di hulu Sungai Semenyih terdapat tapak pelupusan sampah! Tapak pelupusan sampah ini telah ditutup akibat aduan bau busuk penduduk setempat. Namun demikian, lembangan sampah masih ada dan hasil enap cemar tetap akan dihanyut ke dalam Sungai Semenyih terutamanya semasa hujan lebat! Antara yang dibuang di sini adalah bermacam macam jenis bateri, gadget handphone, komponen plastik, komputer buruk, minyak hitam dsbnya. Sungai Semenyih juga seperti Sungai Langat melalui banyak penempatan padat dan kawasan kilang di hilirnya! Ia juga merentasi Ladang Kelapa Sawit. Tidak mustahil hasil buangan dari kilang minyak sawit (POME), baja kimia dari ladang sawit dan juga racun kimia dari ladang sawit memasuki Sungai Semenyih dengan amat mudahnya!

Selepas kedua dua sungai ini bercantum, ia dinamakan sungai Semenyih! Tetapi sebelum kedua dua Sungai Langat dan Sungai Semenyih ini bercantum, di antara kedua dua mereka, (iaitu hampir dengan kawasan cantuman kedua dua sungai) ini ada pula terletak Nuklear Malaysia dan pusat perlesenan tenaga atom negara (AELB) ! Nuklear Malaysia mempunyai loji nuklear walaupun ramai tidak mengetahuinya! Sekiranya terdapat kebocoran radioaktif, ia akan memasuki samada Sungai Langat atau Sungai Semenyih!! Malang juga kehadiran elemen radioaktif tidak diuji dalam persampelan air minum Malaysia!

Sungai yang semakin besar, penuh dengan hasil buangan industri kilang, bangkai binatang, najis manusia, spare part kereta, bangkai motor, sampah plastik, sampah kimia dsbnya ini akan mengalir ke Putrajaya dan seterusnya memasuki Pekan Dengkil! Di Putrajaya ia disedut oleh ABASS Konsortium betul betul di belakang PICC ( dekat restoran dDusun )!!

Dalam dunia kini terdapat lebih 100,000 jenis sebatian kimia. Malah jumlah sebatian kimia baru yang dicipta ahli sains sentiasa bertambah setiap hari. Mampukah Jabatan kimia membuat pemantauan kesemua pencemaran yang berasal dari sebatian kimia ini? Hasil kaji selidik, didapati tidak lebih dari 40 parameter aja yang dipantau sedari air sungai iaitu beberapa jenis logam berat, racun dan ammonia.

Kawasan industri biasanya akan menyumbang kepada pencemaran yang lebih dasyat akibat pencemaran bahan kimia, bahan cat, pelarut kimia, asid, alkali, bahan sampingan produk plastik, besi dan logam berat! Walaupun klorin ditambah bagi membunuh kuman bakteria, klorin tidak dapat membunuh sebatian kimia dan logam berat! Kesahihan lokasi dapat disemak dengan Google Earth! sila klik link ini :

Air yang korang minum tu kotor lagi tercemar

Badan yang menjaga kualiti air di Malaysia:

Jabatan Perkhidmatan Pembetungan

The Malaysian Water Association

Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KTTHA)

Department of Environment

Indah Water

Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara

Sumber Utama Toksin Badan

SUMBER UTAMA TOKSIN BADAN

Pencemaran Makanan

Walaupun revolusi pertanian telah membawa hasil lumayan, namun saki-baki racun / baja kimia pada sayur-sayuran dan buah-buahan telah menjejaskan kesihatan manusia secara teruk. Setiap orang termakan 0.1 kg sayur dan buah yang mengandungi makhluk perosak setiap hari, secara purata.

Pencemaran Penternakan Haiwan

Setelah pengeluaran makanan laut dan daging dikorporatitasikan, cukup banyak antibiotik telah digunakan untuk mencegah penyakit sementara pelbagai hormon pula digunakan untuk mempercepat pertumbuhan. Ada hormon yang disuntik adalah hormon penggalak daging dan ada juga hormon yang disuntik adalah perencat pertumbuhan sel lemak! Antibiotik yang tertinggal dalam daging akan menjejaskan fungsi imun badan kita secara teruk dan membinasakan tisu-tisu sel. Contoh, hormon penggalak pertumbuhan disuntik ke tangkai buah tembikai atau mempelam. Hormon penggalak pertumbuhan juga disuntik ke kepak atau peha ayam, itik, lembu, kambing, khinzir dsbnya. Hormon hormon mampu mengganggu operasi normal kelenjar endokrin manusia.

Pencemaran Makanan Awet

Kini, makanan-makanan terproses penuh dengan pewarna, bahan awet, pemanis sintetik, perasa, penaik tiruan dan pelbagai wangian sintetik.

Pencemaran Sumber Air

Untuk mencegah penyakit daripada merebak, klorin yang berlebihan telah ditambah ke dalam air paip untuk tujuan penyahkuman. Klorin mengandungi unsur-unsur karsinogenik. Florin juga ditambah bagi memenuhi keperluan pergigian. Air di bandar bandar besar berasal dari longkang longkang yang mengumpul air dari kawasan perumahan, kawasan industri, kawasan kilang plastik, kilang besi, kilang elektronik, kawasan bengkel kereta atau memperbaiki lori, bengkel cat, tangki septik, pusat dobi, car wash 24 jam, restoran 24 jam dsbnya. Ada juga sungai yang mendapat air daripada tapak lupus sampah dan juga ladang sawit!