Lahoris consuming oil extracted from poultry wastes

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Major ® Arif Hameed says only two factories complied with EPA’s instructions
* Several patients suffering from fatal skin diseases, asthma belong to localities close to odour-emitting factories

Staff Report

LAHORE: Lahoris are eating unhygienic samosas, pakoras, jalaybees and other foods prepared in oil, as the oil used is industrial, not edible, oil, alleged Pathfinders Chairman Major ® Arif Hameed while talking to the media at a local hotel.

He demanded that the government agencies and departments concerned stop these businesses from selling unhygienic food.

He said that poultry protein manufacturing units were extracting the oil from the remnants of dead animals and distributing this oil across the city with the help of Environment, Food and Health departments of the City District Government Lahore (CDGL). He said that this oil is actually used for the preparation of washing soap, however, industrialists, without dying the oil, sold it at Rs 70 per kilogramme (kg). He said that this oil actually costs Rs 30 per kg. He said that none of the government agencies concerned were ready to take responsibility. He said that when he contacted the Environment Department, they referred him to the Food Department, which referred him to the Health Department.

He said that about six poultry protein manufacturing units, besides producing hazardous oil, were affecting EME Society, NESPAK, Jubilee Town, Bahria Town, Executive Town, Sukh Chain Society, and Rajput Town with their odour. He said that during the past year the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has compelled these factories to re-locate their plants away from housing societies. He said that four factories have shifted their plants, adding that the rest of the factories would also shift their plants by December 31.

Two: He said that the EPA had instructed the factory owners to re-locate and ensure proper waste management. However, he said, the EPA had not been able to get the factory owners to comply with its instructions. He said that only two factories had complied with the EPA’s instructions. He thanked Dr Muhammad Rafique, who had worked on the hazardous effects of odour emission from these factories on the human health.

Patients: According to Rafique’s research, “Odour contains two inorganic gases: Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S). Ammonia is the worst air pollutant and acts on the respiratory epithelium and reduces the ciliated cells in the air passage. H2S is highly toxic and produces cyanosis and convulsions. Several patients who suffer from fatal skin diseases and asthma belong to localities close to odour-emitting factories.”

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg13_7

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'The News' reports

Harmful industrial oil being sold as edible

POULTRY protein processing units are selling harmful “industrial oil”, which is being used as edible oil by different vendors resulting in spread of dangerous diseases in the provincial capital.

This was alleged by Major Arif, chairman of an NGO, Pathfinders, in a press conference held at a hotel here on Thursday.

The NGO is working to get rid of hazards these protein processing units were spreading in the city’s environment.

Major Arif disclosed that five poultry processing units were operating in the city and were producing seven-tonne oil daily.

He said the oil produced during the protein extraction process was very harmful for human consumption and should be coloured blue or red so that it should not be used as edible oil.

He alleged that these units used to sell this oil to various people especially small vendors who used it in frying fish, samosas and other items, which resulted in serious affects on the health of their consumers.

He said these units were established in Mohlanwal area, which was a residential area and some two years ago, the NGO started a campaign to remove these units from this locality.

A petition was moved before the High Court against the units, in result of which four units agreed to shift from the area except M/S Adrees & Co, he said, adding the said unit took up their case in Supreme Court and got time to shift from the place till December 31st but the decision was not implemented. He alleged that the DCO was involved in illegal means on behalf of owners of the processing units and was supporting them by giving them more time to shift.

He alleged that the Environmental Protection Department and Health Department were also not fulfilling their responsibilities by not taking any action against these dangerous polluters.

He demanded the Punjab government to take a serious note of the situation and stop sale of oil produced by these units as edible oil and direct these units that they should give blue or red colour to the oil they produce so that consumer could distinguish between industrial oil and cooking oil.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=145330