Poison in fish, chicks & eggs
A section of traders are engaged in producing poultry and fish feed using tannery wastes from the city's Hazaribagh area
The Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) has detected presence of heavy metals in poultry and fish feed which are made from solid wastes of tanneries and those are entering into human bodies as poultry and fish are two popular food items.
The metals are chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury.
A section of traders are engaged in producing poultry and fish feed using tannery wastes from the city's Hazaribagh area. The manufacturing plants are located in the densely populated areas of old part of the city including Hazaribagh.
The owners of such manufacturing plants burn these heavily toxin pasted hide indiscriminately and the plants are presently emitting smokes from 80 burners creating a suffocating situation in the areas, local people said yesterday.
Professor Dr SM Imamul Huq, chairman of the BCSIR, told The Independent that the harmful metal chromium was found in broiler chickens and their eggs.
"During a laboratory test, presence of chromium as high as 23 micro-grams was detected in eggs of broiler chicken, while a child between four and 8 years can absorb only 15 micro-gram of chromium a day," he said.
Replying to a query, he said, chromium is deposited in kidney and liver. "In the long run, it will be harmful for children between four and 13 years of age and women of 50 years and above, if they consume such eggs."
In the long run, chromium, lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and nickel may damage kidney and may cause damage to DNA, bones, brain, blood, liver, lungs, central nervous and cardiovascular systems, Prof Huq said.
Principal scientific officer of the BCSIR Shahidul Islam said the maximum chromium content of the solid tannery waste was found 3.2 per cent, while the final product contained as high as 2.5 per cent and 1.9 per cent in two different places.
He said these wastes are being converted to protein-concentrate for poultry and fish feed, and in production of bio-fertiliser without any proper treatment.
Several feed mills and agro-industries near the tanning industries presently produce a minimum of a hundred tonne of protein-concentrate per day, he said.
He said at least 120 various types of chemicals like-acids, caustic materials, ammonia, chromium salts, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, organic solvents, aluminium sulphate, carbon black, enzymes, dyestuffs, fungicides and some other compounds are used in tanning process.
Tanning industries of Hazaribagh are processing about 220 tonnes of hide a day, in turn producing 600-1000kg of skin-cut wastes (SCW) from per tonne of processed hide, he said.
"It is a matter of concern, a significant migration of harmful chromium can occur into poultry products, fish and vegetables, and further it can have direct implication on public health through food chain," Shahidul Islam said.
BAPA chairman Abu Naser Khan talking to this correspondent expressed his deep concern over production of poultry and fishery feed using toxic wastes.
He described the products as a "silent killer."
These highly toxic poultry and fishery feed are supplied to big companies for marketing the items across the country as feed for fish and poultry birds.
President of Bangladesh Chemical Association Professor Mohibur Rahman said harmful chromium exist in wastes of tanneries.
Apart from this, chemicals, when burnt, cause air pollution, pollution of water and soil and in the process also enter human bodies. He said in turn can cause diseases like cancer and kidney and lung damage.
Chairman of BAPA (Bangladesh Paribesh Andalon) Abu Naser Khan said, "People of the areas where these feed plants are located, cannot breath because of the smokes from the burning of tannery wastes. All these happen before the eyes of the authorities concerned.
We will launch a big movement against such heinous acts to stop it immediately."
Raza Mia, a labourer of the pasted hide factory, said, "We are eating poison and making poison. This poultry and fish feed are processed by using harmful toxic elements."
Replying to a query, he said, "We are also suffering from diseases like respiratory problems.
We cannot breath fresh air in the area as stinky smell spreads from feed plants of the area"
A section of greedy people across the country are producing poisonous feed for fish and broiler chickens posing a serious threat to health and environment including pollution of wetlands, experts observed.
The metals are chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury.
A section of traders are engaged in producing poultry and fish feed using tannery wastes from the city's Hazaribagh area. The manufacturing plants are located in the densely populated areas of old part of the city including Hazaribagh.
The owners of such manufacturing plants burn these heavily toxin pasted hide indiscriminately and the plants are presently emitting smokes from 80 burners creating a suffocating situation in the areas, local people said yesterday.
Professor Dr SM Imamul Huq, chairman of the BCSIR, told The Independent that the harmful metal chromium was found in broiler chickens and their eggs.
"During a laboratory test, presence of chromium as high as 23 micro-grams was detected in eggs of broiler chicken, while a child between four and 8 years can absorb only 15 micro-gram of chromium a day," he said.
Replying to a query, he said, chromium is deposited in kidney and liver. "In the long run, it will be harmful for children between four and 13 years of age and women of 50 years and above, if they consume such eggs."
In the long run, chromium, lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and nickel may damage kidney and may cause damage to DNA, bones, brain, blood, liver, lungs, central nervous and cardiovascular systems, Prof Huq said.
Principal scientific officer of the BCSIR Shahidul Islam said the maximum chromium content of the solid tannery waste was found 3.2 per cent, while the final product contained as high as 2.5 per cent and 1.9 per cent in two different places.
He said these wastes are being converted to protein-concentrate for poultry and fish feed, and in production of bio-fertiliser without any proper treatment.
Several feed mills and agro-industries near the tanning industries presently produce a minimum of a hundred tonne of protein-concentrate per day, he said.
He said at least 120 various types of chemicals like-acids, caustic materials, ammonia, chromium salts, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, organic solvents, aluminium sulphate, carbon black, enzymes, dyestuffs, fungicides and some other compounds are used in tanning process.
Tanning industries of Hazaribagh are processing about 220 tonnes of hide a day, in turn producing 600-1000kg of skin-cut wastes (SCW) from per tonne of processed hide, he said.
"It is a matter of concern, a significant migration of harmful chromium can occur into poultry products, fish and vegetables, and further it can have direct implication on public health through food chain," Shahidul Islam said.
BAPA chairman Abu Naser Khan talking to this correspondent expressed his deep concern over production of poultry and fishery feed using toxic wastes.
He described the products as a "silent killer."
These highly toxic poultry and fishery feed are supplied to big companies for marketing the items across the country as feed for fish and poultry birds.
President of Bangladesh Chemical Association Professor Mohibur Rahman said harmful chromium exist in wastes of tanneries.
Apart from this, chemicals, when burnt, cause air pollution, pollution of water and soil and in the process also enter human bodies. He said in turn can cause diseases like cancer and kidney and lung damage.
Chairman of BAPA (Bangladesh Paribesh Andalon) Abu Naser Khan said, "People of the areas where these feed plants are located, cannot breath because of the smokes from the burning of tannery wastes. All these happen before the eyes of the authorities concerned.
We will launch a big movement against such heinous acts to stop it immediately."
Raza Mia, a labourer of the pasted hide factory, said, "We are eating poison and making poison. This poultry and fish feed are processed by using harmful toxic elements."
Replying to a query, he said, "We are also suffering from diseases like respiratory problems.
We cannot breath fresh air in the area as stinky smell spreads from feed plants of the area"
A section of greedy people across the country are producing poisonous feed for fish and broiler chickens posing a serious threat to health and environment including pollution of wetlands, experts observed.
http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=168652
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