obongitiad:
Yeah I noticed how dirty the sole of my feet was. At first I was surprised, then I shrug it off with the excuse that it just might be dust dats all.

Maybe u shd have a biochemist test the dusts under the feet of two or three people for any negative discoveries.

Exciton:


Lol. Don't get upset with me. Direct your anger at the politicians and thieves that use hundreds of millions to clear grass, drill borehole, maintain websites, etc. Direct your anger at fraudulent Professors who don't know shit or have any equipment but manage to miraculously publish tens of experimental papers every year.

Knowledge and skill without the equipment is useless in this case, your eyes can't identify micron and sub-micron sized stuff. Sure, you can build a simple UV-Vis or even Raman (if you've got the cash and MORE equipment to build with) but it won't be calibrated and accurate enough for studies related to something as important as the health of people. You have to BUY the equipment.

But this is PH. Those almighty oil companies (or that petroleum Uni) might have some useful equipment in their QA department.

Anyways, get your kids and yourself nose masks with PM 2.5 grade filters and you might need to change the filters quite often considering that everyone's saying there's lots of that shit in the air.

I ain't part of you o! I'm porting to Kenya or Ghana.

yarimo:
Silly kid keep on asking stupid question,don't go out and confirm what is happening. Keep on sitting in your dirty toilet and to be posting idiotic comments

olipo:
u b fool I swear.sorry if I ever bothered you

byrron:


Do the world a favor by just chopping off those leprous fingers of yours used in typing so brainlessly or better still, you can go to the nearest zoo around you and Channel your frustration on any hungry lion in it's den- NONSENSE

QuotaSystem:
Are the opinions of 'environmental activists' against Niger Delta militancy now required?

I hope people will now begin to consider the health and environmental effects of oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and illegal refineries more seriously.

yarimo:
let me pretend as if I don't no you are FOOLING yourself in a stupid way.

yarimo:
let me pretend as if I don't no you are FOOLING yourself in a stupid way.

byrron:


The foolish one is you and your stupid initial comment establishes the fact that you are a certified e-tout.

yarimo:
a certified e-tout no his fellow certified e-tout

byrron:


I thought you were only a tout but I was so shocked to also find out that you are also a thief based on your comment on the the link below were you actually confessed that those ATM criminals were your roll models.

https://www.nairaland.com/3509636/police-arrest-benue-yahoo-boys#51770847

You signed up into nairaland in March 2016 just to showcase your endemic stupidity as well as flaunting your criminal orientations.

Just like your criminal mentors, karma will surely pay you an unannounced visit in it's due time.

Thief!

yarimo:
Kikikiki a thief can only identify his fellow thief easily like you just did. MUMU keep wasting your mother's data

byrron:


Very capable of feeding your entire family

yarimo:
yeah in your MUMU mind you are right.

byrron:


Can also pay for your medications as well as reorientating your miserable criminal minded hagged self.

yarimo:
so you want nairalanders to no that, you have just been discharge from YABA LEFT hospital abi?

byrron:


That place is your natural habitat.
Done with you- Toutic Thief

DerideGull:


Most Nigerians are daftly moronic. Is there any proof that the "black stuff" is linked to Avenger's blowing up the pipelines? The alleged "black stuff" could have come from burnt tires or other sources.

MrCyril:
TROUBLE IN PORTHARCOURT CITY!!

Please, all PHC resident:
Have you all noticed
that thick black soothes are all over Portharcourt - even inside the homes- the sole of your feet is very black and we inhale quantities everyday.

Early in the morning your cars are all covered with the same thick soothes.

Nobody seem to be saying anything about it.

Please, my people, what is going on? Could it be that a company is messing up the environment so massively and threatening our survival and we don't seem to know and care?

I am worried.

Let's push this until it gets to the appropriate quarters for answers and solutions

couragemurphy:
You are very correct OP.

I have been noticing it since June - July this year around Peter Odili axis. It is obvious on cars early morning, your window nets, even inside your house, you notice the sole of your feet being black when you walk around without foot wear inside. Because of this my swimming pool is being overworked for it to get rid of the soot.

I was curious and have to be calling friends around to trace the source and way forward. I was able to confirm that it is a new development around Peter Odili, Abuloma, Trans-Amadi, Old GRA, Woji, etc. and even sometimes up to Aba.

LIKELY SOURCES.
From my own investigation, the following were my initial suspects
1. Soot from tyre / bamboo burning in 'slaughter' when roasting cow and other animals. But this was ruled out because the area covered by the soot is overwhelming for this to be the source. Moreover, using of tyres for roasting has been banned.

2. Pollutions from nearby industrial processes. Oil exploration / production and refining activities around are not left out. This could result more if there is oil carryover(s) to the flare. But I personally ruled this out after investigation as there are no close oil installations around with such a tick burning flare as a symptom of much oil carryover which could be responsible for the carbon soot being noticed around. Also the timing that the soot usually spreed also rules them out. Because flaring is continuous, whereas i noticed that this spread of soot is usually at night / early morning before 07H00.

3. THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE CULPRIT FROM MY INVESTIGATIONS (I ALSO STAND CORRECTED THOUGH)
After careful analyses and investigations made, I was able to narrow it to the recent increase in oil bunkering / local crude oil refining activities around the creeks of Abuloma and neighboring communities. This is no coincidence as the timing of their local refining also match with the time of the soot spread. Illegal refineries operations have been on the rise since the recent economic condition of the country and some alleged non-payment of ex-militants. Many of them have returned to the creeks to source for livelihood. even security agents are not helping matters on this, as it is also alleged that they even participate indirectly in this act. For those that live around, you might notice that small tankers usually move products out of these areas even without being intercepted by security personnel... I have to stop here pls....


POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO MITIGATE ITS CONSEQUENCES.

1. Our beloved brothers and friends indulging in this act of local refining should be educated on the health risk / hazards associated with their operations. Not just for people living around, but also for them carrying out the activities. Because they are even closer to the real dangers (BTEX, benzene, and even NORMS etc) If this is not stopped on time, don't be surprised in the future when people start giving birth to children with various disorders.
Because these uncontrolled pollutants can cause genetic mutations. and even rise in medical cases like respiratory diseases and cancers etc.


If you can't endure or protect yourself, start thinking of relocation as this is a serious health issue.

2. The government needs to be responsible to the people. It is not all about ''CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME MANTRA'' but this change should BEGIN WITH THE GOVERNMENT. It is the job of the government to ensure and guaranty the welfare, protection, safety, and security of the people. If government is responsible, half of this problem if not 75% will be solved. We have various ministries / agencies in Nigeria collecting salaries and dues as operational permits from companies, but don't do their major jobs. We have ministry of environment in Nigeria / Rivers state for example, but is not concerned about the environment, its protection, and the safety of humans as a result of unlawful activities resulting to pollution....

3. For me what I have done for the interim, knowing the possible source and time of spread of the soot.
a. I ensure all my windows are almost 95% closed at all time, especially at night
b. install and continue using your cooker hood in kitchen
c. put on your ACs more often to keep your entire house cool.
d. Occasionally open windows during the day for ventilation of the house, and close before 8PM etc.

With the above mentioned, I have been able to control the ingress of the menace inside my house, thereby reducing the possible inhalation of soot, the usual blackened sole of feet has stopped with this, and also the routine of cleaning the house on daily basis has also stopped. For now there are no significant soot entering my house since I adopted these control measures. THOUGH THEY ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE CONTROLS, BUT IT IS WORTH IT!!!!!!!

etiumo:
Tanx for ur knowledge sharing