“Today, we are dealing with a pollution that can kill people”, according to what chemist Yvens Chérémond explained to AyiboPost
Is it true that germs do not kill Haitians? Huh?! This question has been in my mind for a long time, but these last few days, the question tormented me a lot, since I read the article (The air in P-au-P can make you sick. Here are the risk areas.) a colleague of mine at AyiboPost, Jérôme Wendy Norestyl, writes about the great danger hanging over our lives in Port-au-Prince due to the air we breathe which is really contaminated. Oh yes! There is a dangerous pollution in the capital. But there are areas that are more risky than others. That’s what I’m going to talk about in this video. Come and listen!
“Today, we are dealing with pollution that can kill people”, yes, yes, I am not the one who said it! This is what Yvens Chérémond, who is a chemist and professor at the State University in Haiti, told Ayibopost.
What is the same thing?
In many cities in Haiti, the air we breathe can cause serious health problems.
Well, you may not be surprised because it is Haiti, but you may be surprised because you hear it causes health problems. We’ll get back to that.
Science considers that the air we breathe is polluted from the moment the interior environment (ie inside our house for example) and the exterior environment (such as on the street) are contaminated with a series of chemical, physical and biological substances that modify the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
The researchers make it clear that we humans are the source of the pollution problem itself, in many activities we lead such as: traffic on the roads, garbage burning all day long, industries pumping smoke, burning tires, and even coal we are burning in the kitchen of our house.
The substances that are released during these activities are a series of atmospheric pollutants, if we take: carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, to name just a few, which are dangerous to human life.
Science considers that the air we breathe is polluted from the moment the interior environment and the exterior environment are contaminated with a series of chemical, physical and biological substances that modify the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
But be careful, that’s not how we say it. In Haiti, there are studies that clearly show the problem.
In 2 studies from the State University of Haiti, one conducted in 2020 on 4 areas in the commune of Dèlma and another that has not yet been completed, they show that the air we breathe around Port-au-Prince is not of good quality.
For example, the study provides, throughout a day when in the SONAPI area, exactly where the Ministry of Environment is, eh yes! Carbon monoxide exceeds the World Health Organization limit of 4000 micrograms/cubic meter.
The site of the Ministry of Environment is located in the courtyard of the SONAPI, between Boulevard Toussaint Louverture and Boulevard des Industries.
In areas such as where the General Hospital is located, in Monseiê Giyou street, the carbon monoxide exceeds the level set by the WHO.
What is not too different in the area: Boudon, Kanapevèr, Pós Manchan where there is 2 times more nitrogen dioxide in the air than what WHO recommends.
According to chemist Paul Job, who has worked on pollution in the commune of De1lma, he says: “At the moment, the air in Port-au-Prince is not good at all for the population that breathes it”.
We must know, these toxic pollutions are not and will never be without consequences on our lives.
These pollutants can cause problems, such as, can aggravate a disease that a person already has. In this way, it can cause other problems on the skin, such as rashes, it can make a person’s nose swell, his eyes red, and the biggest cause is lung cancer, heart problems, etc.
We must know, these toxic pollutions are not and will never be without consequences on our lives.
Unfortunately, for us in Haiti, there are no figures on the number of victims of pollution. But it’s not because we don’t have to think that we are not victims or that we cannot have victims.
In 2019, the WHO estimates that 4.2 million people die prematurely in the world, directly because of the bad air they breathe.
Dieuseul Predelus, specialist in atomic and molecular physics, says that it is important to have work done in order to follow the trend of the evolution of air quality.
If for the chemist Paul Job, one of the solutions would be to plant more trees, there are other researchers who suggest that there should be good public policies to see how we can reduce the level of air pollution.
Speaking of public policy, what does the Haitian government say about this?
On the side of the Ministry of the Environment, director Evans Louis, who is responsible for the “management cadre de vie” of the ministry, informed AyiboPost, “the cause of air pollution has no value in the ministry where it is”. He said he was sorry to find that even in the Ministry of Environment, there are people who believe that the summary of environmental protection is collecting garbage and planting trees.
Unfortunately, for us in Haiti, there are no figures on the number of victims of pollution. But it’s not because we don’t have to think that we are not victims or that we cannot have victims.
In October 2018, the WHO made the “management cadre de vie” of the Ministry of Environment gift 3 devices to monitor air quality. This project was expected to be installed in 3 departments: West, North and South. But since the mission of WHO’s water and sanitation consultant, Julio Urruela Roquero, ended in Haiti, the project has been in trouble.
However, the Ministry of Environment has announced that they plan to install a national polymeter network, which is a device that will allow them to assess the level of air pollution throughout the country.
We hope! But the cause of air pollution in Haiti is a real problem, which deserves to be aware of it, and to frame it to protect the lives of citizens.
► Research and Text: Jérôme Wendy Norestyl & Lucnise Duquereste
► Presentation: Lucnise Duquereste
► Editing and animation : Wilson Saintelus
► Camera: Sherlande Pierre
► Supervision: Cherub Jerome
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