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Burning plastics could alter human sexual behaviour
2006-04-08 09:47:37
By Ludger Kasumuni
Toxic components inhaled through smoke from burning plastic materials may cause hormonal imbalance and sex behavioural orientation of a new born, The Guardian can reveal.
As a result, the child could begin exhibiting behaviour, in total contrast to his or her sex - changes from male to female sexual characters or vice versa.
Researchers have established that inhaling burnt plastic materials have altered sexual characters of birds (from male to female).
They have discovered the same defects can easily occur in human beings.
A University of Dar es Salaam don, Prof Jamidu Katima, told The Guardian in an exclusive interview yesterday that, plastic materials are extremely hazardous to human health.
Prof Katima, the Dean of Faculty of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering said gas emissions from burning a single plastic bag is capable of disrupting sexual characteristics of an individual to the opposite sex.
’Burnt plastic bags can be extremely hazardous to human beings, because it causes disruption of hormones. This may lead to the transformation of male persons behaving like female, whereas females exhibit male characters,’ said Prof Katima.
He said, toxic gases emitted by burning plastic materials - dioxins and furans - could also cause cancer, impotence, asthma and a myriad other allergies to human beings.
He said most of the plastic materials are poisonous because they are composed of chlorine, which forms poisonous gases.
’Young Danes have reported exceptionally low sperm counts compared to the previous generations, testicular cancer has increased by 55 per cent between 1979 and 1991 in England and Wales,’said Prof Katima.
’Fewer boys are being born in Seveso, Italy, where toxic dioxin was released. Some girls are achieving puberty earlier than others,’ he added.
He was commenting on the government’s directive to impose 100 per cent tax on plastic items, saying it was a welcome move.
He dispelled the argument that used plastic materials could be recycled.
The don said it was not plausible because it is impossible to recycle plastic materials by 100 per cent.
He said scientists had found that recycling of plastic bags by 100 per cent is not possible hence the residues of recycled plastic materials continue to form the sources of poisonous gases when burnt.
He argued that in developing countries like Tanzania where the technology for solid waste management and re cycling is poor, the use of plastic items must be discouraged.
He also called for local and foreign investors to capitalise on the government’s directive on the ban of plastic bags to increase investment in paper factories.
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