Toxic smoke

According to some media reports, the workers of the Multan Waste Management Company (MWMC) burn garbage in the open developing toxic smoke which causes respiratory diseases among the citizens of Multan. The main cause of the toxic smoke is garbage filled in polythene bags or empty polythene bags scattered all around residential areas. This garbage is burnt under less than 800 degrees C temperature which produces toxic gases. This must be controlled at any cost for the safety of human beings.

The workers can be tasked to segregate polythene bags and dispose them of separately in incinerators otherwise environmental pollution will be unmanageable. This exercise is urgently needed all over Pakistan. It will be more feasible if federal and provincial governments procure incinerators in bulk for disposing garbage as well as generating electricity – as being done in Denmark. Another option is to totally eliminate polythene bags and introduce paper bags for minimising pollution.

Engr Riaz Akbar

Wah Cantt