Soot is a mass of impure carbon particles, resulting from incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. It can be caused by a number of activities, including coal burning, internal-combustion engines, waste incineration, local field burning, house fires, forest fires, fireplaces, and furnaces.
Soot is alleged to be one of the causes of cancer and lung diseases and the second largest contributor to global warming.
Since late last year, residents of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, started noticing black deposits on their rooftops and their cars and their concern became deepened when the real cause or origin of the soot was unknown.
In an effort to find the cause of the black soot, chairman of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) in the state, Adeyemi Adewale, led his team as early as 5:30am to the field to set up particle sampling machines, because according to him, the sampling exercise is better done early in the morning.
Adewale said, “This sampling exercise can only be carried out either with a hand sampler and metric meter. The sampling paper traps the particles from the air sucked in by the air metric particulate sampler.
“It is best to start early in the morning in order to ensure that other activities like car fumes and human interference will not choke up the atmosphere. Particles gathered between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. are usually better samples for scientific examination.”
However, some persons suspect the black soot may be as a result of illegal refining of oil, gas flaring or mismanagement of domestic waste.
According to Mr. Sam Emejuru, a resident of Port Harcourt and state secretary of NES, “What is happening is that there is a product of combustion which is an incomplete burning process that emits carbon.
There are many industries that process hydro-carbon materials.
Activities of illegal refineries are also a possible cause.”
To another resident of the state capital, Mr. Adasi Abbey, the source of the black soot could be traced to the destruction of illegal refineries by the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies in parts of Port Harcourt.
Abbey stated that the recent increase in the soot, which led to a renewed call on the state and federal governments to act fast, followed the destruction of some illegal refineries along the Abotoru Creek in the Borokiri area of Port Harcourt on February 4, 2017.
But, the state government believes that the appearance of the black soot, which it said gives it grave concern, might be caused by artisanal oil refining activities, the burning of car tyres at night in different locations in the state, and other air-polluting activities around the state.
A statement by the state commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Austin Tam-George, said the Ministry of Environment has already sent separate investigative teams to all parts of the state and is already working on that strong hypothesis.
Tam-George, who said samples of the black soot had been sent to sophisticated laboratories in order to determine its actual origin, advised residents of the state to stop the burning of tyres or illegal oil mining activities.
He also advised oil companies operating in the state to stop gas flaring in order to encourage a healthier and sustainable livelihood in the state.
The commissioner for Information and Communication said, “Residents of the state have been advised to stop the burning of tyres or any illegal oil mining activities. Oil companies have also been advised to stop gas flaring in order to encourage healthier and sustainable livelihood in the state.”
To the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in the state, the black soot in Port Harcourt and environs is due to exposure to lead, a chemical element which if inhaled could lead to heavy metal poisoning.
According to the NMA state chairman, Datonye Alasia, inhaling of the black soot could also lead to other chronic respiratory tract diseases, especially among children.
Alasia said, “Children are more at risk of developing respiratory disease as they come directly in contact with these black soot particles.”
He urged the government to meet up with standard environmental targets, as well as proper sensitization of the general public.
In its efforts to find a lasting solution to the ugly development, the Rivers State House of Assembly, has sought for collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) on better ways to destroy illegal refineries and bunkering activities.
Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Hon. Christian Ahiakwo during a visit frowned at the “crude and illegal methods of destruction of illegal oil refineries” embarked on by the para-military organizations.
Ahiakwo advised that rather than set the products on fire, it should be channeled to the appropriate departments for proper use.
He lamented the destructive and unfriendly appearance of black soot carbon substances in the atmosphere which he said was largely caused by the activities of the Joint Military Task Force.
The lawmaker said, “You will recall that sometimes last year, all of us, including you and I noticed, something that was very environmentally unfriendly. And I want to make bold to say that up till this moment that thing is still persistent, and that is the sudden appearance of black soot in our atmosphere, something that ordinarily ought not to exist in the atmosphere.”
“We are here to say that, yes, you are saddled with the responsibility to destroy all illegal refineries, but I want to sound it loud and clear that your methodology is illegal.
“It is also illegal to set on fire petroleum products, two wrongs
cannot make a right, the illegal bunkerers are doing things that are wrong in all ramification, but the joint task force is also doing things that are against the environmental laws of Nigeria. In the left, you have an illegal activity, in the right you have another illegal activity, so where are you?
“We need to save our environment, we need to preserve our environment, people are crying and wailing, people are having cancer here and there, people are having cardiac arrest here and there, a woman would be pregnant, at the end of nine months, give birth to terrible human beings.
“The activities of the JTF are responsible for this ugly development. Instead of setting fire on the items, you can recover the crude oil, send it to the refinery, let them use it to do what they know how to do best.”
According to the commander of NSCDC in the state, Mohammed Haruna, operations of illegal refineries in the state is responsible for the black soot and not that of the JTF.
Apparently worried by apprehension among the residents of the state capital over the ugly development, the state government recently set up a task force to tackle the black soot polluting the atmosphere of Port Harcourt and environs.
The task force which is mandated to investigate and resolve the environmental challenge, has the commissioner of Environment, Professor Roseline Konya, Professor Roseline Konya, Commissioner of Special Duties, Mr Emeka Onowu and the Commissioner of Information, Dr Austin Tam-George as members.
This was part of the resolutions of the State Executive Council meeting of Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt chaired by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike .
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the commissioner for Information and Communication, Tam-George, said the committee which will be backed by technical experts will liaise with major stakeholders to resolve the environmental challenges posed by the black soot.
He stated that the resolution for the setting up of the task force, which was the outcome of the weekly meeting of the state executive council, was reached after the Commissioner of Environment, Konya, presented the preliminary results of its Ministerial Investigation.