World Ozone Day is celebrated annually on 16th September. In this regard You!
World Ozone Day is celebrated annually on 16th September. In this regard You! talks to Prof. Dr Atta ur Rahman, a leading scientist in Pakistan and a UNESCO Science Laureate, and Wasma Imran, CEO of ‘Recircle, regarding the implications of climatic changes in Pakistan...
As of recently, there has been a significant rise in campaigns and reports related to the environment appearing on different mediums. Whether it is about a tree plantation drive or a movement to reduce plastic use, there is a noticeable urgency and vigour surrounding all of it. This is mainly because Pakistan has been witnessing the consequences of climatic change quite frequently. Memories of the devastating 2010 flash floods and the 2015 heat wave are still fresh, and yet more calamities keep occurring.
People were abandoned, thousands of lives were lost and infrastructure worth millions of rupees was laid in ruins due to heavy downpour, landslides and record-breaking temperatures amongst others. Environmental change is sweeping the world at an alarming pace than previously thought. And, there are certain countries that are more vulnerable to this phenomenon; Pakistan being ranked seventh in the list, globally.
‘World Ozone Day’ is celebrated annually on the 16th of September, which is intended to spread awareness of the depletion of the Ozone Layer and search for solutions to preserve it. The theme for this year was ‘Keep Cool and Carry On: Montreal Protocol’. In light of that, this week You! explores the cause of such drastic climatic change and how we can play a role to make it better.
What is Ozone layer?
Above the Earth’s surface (around 15 to 20 kms), there is a gas called Ozone that surrounds the planet. It acts as a barrier between the Earth and the ultra-violet (UV) radiation from the sun. However, pollution has caused this layer to thin, exposing life on Earth to dangerous radiation that has detrimental consequences. The layer acts as the Earth’s sunscreen, absorbing about 98 per cent of damaging UV light.
In order to understand the link between Ozone depletion and climatic change, Prof. Dr Atta ur Rahman, leading scientist in Pakistan and a UNESCO Science Laureate, explains, “We would experience extreme temperatures had there been no Ozone layer. Its depletion is one of the contributing factors of global warming that is causing extreme events such as cyclones, tornadoes, to name a few. As the temperature of our planet increases, it ends up disturbing the normal climatic patterns. Around 25-30 years ago, it was discovered that chemicals used as refrigerants in freezers, fridges and air-conditioners - halogens (elements such as chlorine and fluorine) in halogenated hydrocarbons such as CFCs - are the major cause of Ozone depletion along with some aerosols and plastic products.”
Another reason for this catastrophic change in temperatures is the ‘greenhouse effect’ which is the release of certain gases in large amounts in the atmosphere, trapping the heat. “When industries dispose its pollutants and burn fossil fuels, they emit large quantities of Carbon dioxide gas, which also contributes to Ozone depletion. Preventing deforestation and increasing the number of trees and vegetation can help absorb this gas and stabilise the situation,” he states.
The toxic substances that are polluting our environment
While the recent images taken of the Ozone layer shows significant improvement, the fact can’t be ignored that toxic substances are still damaging our environment. Most of these are used in our daily lives and we are unaware of their harmful implications to our health and atmosphere. One of these substances is plastic.
According to Dr Atta ur Rahman, there are three kinds of plastics: one which is biodegradable and made of natural material; not bio-degradable but burning it is safer; and then the acrylates which are extremely dangerous. “When we burn it, it’s very nasty and have cancer causing materials which are quite dangerous for the environment. We should be trying to completely eliminate the acrylate plastic. There are efforts being made internationally to use biodegradable plastic and some have totally banned the usage of plastic bags. Other than that, a strong recycling system is needed to dispose toxic plastics in a controlled surrounding,” he advises.
Ecoliteracy and women
Protecting the environment is not just the responsibility of the governments and big industries, it also makes a huge difference on an individual level. If every person contributes substantially, the effect will be visible not only at the community, city, state or national level but also at the global level. Also, women are thought to play a central role in alleviating environmental threats. Due to their roles as home-managers, economic providers and their role in reproduction, their part becomes crucial to assuage the situation.
In a similar vein, some scientists found that few materials used for crockery and cooking utensils contains hazardous materials. It is recommended for women, especially pregnant or mother to young children, to read the labels to make sure it is safe to use. “The material Teflon, non-stick coating in kitchen utensils was originally thought to be perfectly safe. However, when it is exposed to heat for prolonged periods, Teflon coatings may begin to break down, releasing toxic fumes into the air. These fumes can cause deleterious effect on human health, so it is much preferred to use glass vessels or metals instead to avoid any such effects,” warns Dr Atta.
Menstrual cups - a safer sanitary product
While it’s easier to move on from most plastic products, there are some which are unavoidable. Almost half of the population of the world is using plastic on a need basis, every month. Studies have estimated that if a woman uses 14-15 pads a month, she will be using around 11 thousand menstrual products in her lifetime. For tampons, the number is even higher as they have to be changed more frequently in comparison. Wasma Imran is an entrepreneur, CEO of ‘Recircle’, which is the only registered company in Pakistan that cells menstrual cups. “Pads and tampons contain around 80 - 90 per cent plastic. There is a plastic layer at the bottom, the polymer powder, and it is bleached which adds to the chemical component. So, apart from being eco-friendly, the menstrual cups collect rather than absorb. And, if taken care properly, they last up to 8-10 years. We give them out in a cotton bag and recycled cardboard. This reduces the waste greatly,” she elucidates.
Reducing the carbon footprint - suggests Dr Atta
We need to make sure that we completely ban the use of the harmful refrigerants in Pakistan as there are alternatives available now, which are not hazardous. The Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) should confirm the quality of all such products that are being used or being imported. Brands should be checked randomly to ensure no ‘halogenated hydrocarbons’ are used. Moreover, it should be advertised in national newspapers to create public awareness about them. Once people realise the products aren’t safe, it will affect their source of revenue which is how things will change. Moreover, people should be cautious of brands of banaspati ghee, drinks and mineral water, which may contain pollutants above the safety limit. For instance, to make ghee there is a process known as hydrogenation, in which a nickel catalyst is used. If the nickel content is higher than the allowed limit, it becomes unsafe to consume. Similarly, mineral water can also contain pollutants that causes harm; also, leather tanning of fur uses chromium, which can lead to cancer in people involved. So, public awareness is a crucial aspect to combat this problem.
A positive streak at the moment is that the combustion engines are on their last leg. All these vehicles running on fossil fuels will soon be replaced with electric cars in the next 5 to 10 years or so. Perhaps, we will also be relying on solar, hydroelectric and wind energy, rather than the non-renewable resources like coal and gas. There should also be proper incentivisation methods, such as a tax rebate that motivates people reduce wastage and promote environmentally safe methods.
Have an eco-friendly lifestyle - advises Wasma
I always make sure that I carry water with me so I never have to buy a plastic bottle. Also, I avoid getting plastic cutlery or Styrofoam food containers, and instead carry my own. When it comes to the beauty industry, mostly all the packaging done is in plastic. I have switched to solid shampoos and look for companies that will refill bottles rather than getting a new one each time. Fortunately, there are local brands popping up that offer such services.
It is also important to use aerosols or propellants that are eco-friendly, which are water-based solutions like mists. Moreover, there is a label on the product that indicates it being safe for the environment. Only if the content in the aerosols is readily evaporating, then you don’t need to use them. However, beauty products that are in solid form are safe to use, as long as their packaging isn’t being accumulated in a landfill.
“We are also hoping to start an eco-friendly starter kit which would include a menstrual cup, a bamboo toothbrush, metallic straw and cutlery. Hopefully, that will make it easier to switch from plastics. Furthermore, in schools, teachers should recommend using fountain pens and pencils instead of ball pointers. These little steps will only help to make a greater change eventually,” concludes Wasma.
