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Against the backdrop of continuing presence of soot in the air, pollution and other environmental issues, the Rivers State House of Assembly has summoned the state’s commissioners for agriculture, health and environment.
They would appear before the house to tell it why slaughter houses in the state still use scrap tyres to burn animal meat, as well as other environmental issues.
The summon followed a motion on the use of scrap tyres by abattoirs in the state, brought before the House by the lawmaker representing Asari Constituency 2, Hon Enemi George.
Eleven members supported the invitation when the speaker, Rt Hon Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani, put the issue to a vote before the House.
Hon George had earlier lamented the long standing practice of using tyres to burn meat which he said is dangerous to health of those who consume meat.
Mr Speaker “tyres are made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric wire, carbon black and numerous chemical compounds”
“The US Agency for Toxic substances and disease registry reveals that the tyres contain several heavy weight metals such as lead, zinc and copper, that could be carcinogenic when exposed to consumers over a long time”
According to him, research shows that some metal residue still hide in cattle hides after burning which could be injurious and unsafe for human consumption.
“Mr speaker this means that Rivers people have been ingesting large quantities of these substances” he said, linking the black substance witnessed in the environment to this practice.
He said “to save us from this trend, we have to take serious steps as an assembly to reverse this practice”
