Air pollution has been identified as one of the greatest environmental risks to human health, with far-reaching impacts, owing to its spread over long distances. In fact, it is estimated that no fewer than seven million people die prematurely from this every year worldwide, according to World Health Organisation (WHO). The deaths occasioned by complications arising from respiratory problems, heart disease and cancer, are all traced to polluted air.
Given the significance of casualties from air pollution, the
United Nations earmarked every 7 September as International Day of Clean Air
for the Blue Skies. Air pollution is a major environmental problem that affects
people all over the world, therefore it calls for the need for strong
partnerships to stem its tide and attendant effect on human beings, hence the
theme for this year’s Day being “Together for Clean Air.”
The transboundary nature of air pollution calls for
concerted efforts and that was why this year’s theme focused on alliances,
shared responsibilities and increased investments, to protect the earth from
fouled atmospheric conditions and enhance healthy and clean air for all.
It is on this premise that leading African manufacturer,
Dangote Cement Plc, joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s Clean Air
Day through the creation of awareness on the dangers of polluted air, the
importance of clean air for health, productivity, the economy, the environment
and the strategies for achieving clean air, both at individual and
organisational levels. This is because, air pollution manifests in the dual
fold of health and climate impacts. The Day was marked across the three plants
of the company in Nigeria and across Africa.
The health impacts of air pollution consists in tiny,
microscopic particles, which penetrate deep into human lungs, bloodstreams and
bodies. These pollutants are responsible for about one-third of deaths from
stroke, chronic respiratory disease, and lung cancer, as well as one quarter of
deaths from heart attack.
On the other hand, the climatic impact consists of
pollutants with a high global warming potential that harms people, ecosystems,
and agricultural productivity. They are also responsible for up to 45 per cent
of current global warming.
With this view, Dangote Cement, a notable champion of
climate change segmented its Clean Air Day activities, with each plant and its
corporate centre marking the Day in style. As part of the activities to mark
the Day at the global headquarters of the cement company in Lagos, the
Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (OHS&E) department, led by
Satya Prakash, organised a webinar involving stakeholders from the renewable
energy private sector, Arnergy and the National Environmental Standards and
Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), a government bureau, who spoke on the
roles of Individuals, industry, and regulators in achieving clean air.
Omobola Omofaiye, the chief commercial officer of Arnergy,
analysed the air quality index, explaining that air quality connotes how clean
and suitable the air is for humans and the environment and that good air
quality indicates the air is free from pollution, while the Air Quality Index
is a public measure of the dangers of air pollution.
According to her, the Air Quality Index has six categories
representing different levels of health concerns, ranging from the good,
moderate, and unhealthy for sensitive groups, in addition to unhealthy and
hazardous, noting that greenhouse gas emission constitute the major cause of
air pollution of the ecosystem.
She said the Nigeria ecosystem is impacted negatively by the
heavy reliance on fossil fuel for power generation and quoted the African
Development Bank as estimating that Nigerians spend $14 billion fuelling petrol
or diesel-powered generators, and over 40% of Nigerian households own fuel
generators and bear the associated costs, according to a Stears and Sterling
report in June 2022
Omofaiye posited that fossil fuels have an outsized negative
impact on the environment. “The consumption of one litre of diesel emits, on
average, 2.7kg of CO2. In addition to carbon monoxide, fossil fuel creates air
pollutants and hazardous exhaust fumes.”
She therefore canvassed for the use of easily accessible
alternative fuel in solar energy, which is a clean energy source that is highly
reliable and accessible. “It can be offered as centralised or distributed
systems with lithium battery energy storage system for commercial and residential
use. It is built with embedded intelligence application for remote monitoring
and energy management.”
At the industrial level, the renewable energy expert listed
other sources of clean energy as comprising of biomass, wind and Hhydropower.
Benefits of these clean alternative energies, she stated, include: “the
reduction in fossil fuel consumption; reduced greenhouse gas emissions: The
reduction in CO2 emissions from solar power generation helps combat climate
change, which can exacerbate air quality issues through factors such as
increased heatwaves and the formation of ground-level ozone; decreased indoor
air pollution and energy efficiency and lower waste generation.”
The concomitant effects of these alternatives, she pointed
out, are that they would aid the reduction in carbon emission and achievement
of good air quality; lower cost when compared with the cost of fossil-based
generators, and asides guaranteeing 24 hour stable business operations for
productivity and reduction of operating expenses, they bring about compliance
to regulatory emission standards and good corporate image.
In his presentation, The Assistant Director and Head,
Environmental Quality Management of NESREA, Mr Usman Musa appreciated Dangote
Cement for the initiative, which supports the regulation of air quality in
Nigeria, as the cement production process worldwide contains primary air
pollutant sources.
From the regulatory point, Musa highlighted some regulatory
measures, which he said are targeted at preventing and minimising pollution
from all operations and ancillary activities of the industrial sector players.
Part of the measures are the Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) for new projects or modification, including expansion of existing ones
before commencement, while existing industries are required to submit
Environmental Audit Reports (EAR) conducted by external consultants accredited
by the agency for existing industries every three years and permit for waste
generation and air quality to be obtained every year.
The Dangote Cement Plc, Group Head of OHS&E, Prakash, in
his own remark while stating Dangote Cement’s commitment to clean air gave
insights into eco-friendly activities the cement company had undertaken and
still working on and which everyone can switch to in order to achieve less
emissions of dust and GHGs to the air.
At the ibese, Ogun State plant of the company, talks were
held on achieving clean ambient air quality, air pollution crises, types of
pollutants, and how to ensure cleaner air and blue skies. The awareness
engagements on particulate and gaseous emission management (measurement,
calculation, and control) involved staff across production, instrumentation,
mechanical, electrical, OHS&E departments.
At the Gboko, Benue state plant, the Clean Air Day was
commemorated with presentation to the Plant Director (PD), Heads of
Departments, Unit Heads, Staff and Drivers on the types of emissions present in
the plant processes, the hazards to human health and abatement measures with
emphasis on the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and adherence
to Dangote Health, Safety, Social and Environment golden rules.
The Clean Air Day at Obajana, Kogi State held with
discussions with personnels across production lines on their roles in
controlling particulate matter and gaseous emissions whilst ensuring effective
cement operations. The plant maintenance team was enlightened on the
two-abatement technology that had been adopted – the electrostatic precipitator
(ESP) and Bag Filter for the improvement of equipment maintenance for
efficiency.
Similar activities were held Okpella Cement plant in Edo
state, with the sensitization of staff on poor air quality and the impact of
the business on the environment during a safety gate meeting.
The sensitisation of management and frontline supervisors
dwelled on the Importance of maintaining clean and healthy air, which can be
impacted by the different plant activities from clinker, and cement production,
to bagging and finally proper housekeeping. The management of plant then took a
walk to the emission-prone areas and location of emission control systems.
In Dangote Cement’s pan-Africa operations in Zambia,
Ethiopia, Tanzania, Cameroon and South Africa, among others, the Clean Air Day
activities were centered on prevention and reduction of air pollution to improve
air quality. The operations staff had sessions on the high cost of air
pollution to the society due to the negative impacts on the economy, work
productivity, healthcare costs and tourism, among others.