Ukungcola—Ubani Okubangelayo?

“LESIQHINGI siyindawo kahulumeni okwenziwa kuyo ukuhlola. Umhlabathi wonakaliswe isifo okuthiwa ianthrax futhi siyingozi. Izindiza azivunyelwe ukuma lapha.”a Loluphawu oluxhonywe ezwekazini laseScotland oluncikene nesiQhingi saseGruinard luxwayisa izivakashi. Eminyakeni engu-47 edlule, kusukela ekuqhunyisweni kokuhlolwa kwezikhali eziklanywe ngezinto ezingokwemvelo phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili, lesiqhingi esihle siye sonakaliswa ngamagciwane esifo seanthrax.

IsiQhingi saseGruinard siyisibonelo sokungcola okwedlulele. Kodwa ezinye izinhlobo ezingezimbi kangako zokungcoliswa kwenhlabathi ziyinkinga esakazeke yonke indawo nekhulayo.

Ukungcoliswa Kwenhlabathi Kuyanda

Enye imbangela yalokhu kungcoliswa kwenhlabathi imfucumfucu. Ngokwesibonelo, umkhaya ovamile wabantu abane waseBrithani, ngokweTimes yaseLondon, ulahla amakhilogremu angu-51 ensimbi namakhilogremu angu-41 eplasitiki unyaka ngamunye, “okuningi kwakho okuyokwenza ukuba izitaladi, unqenqema lwemigwaqo, amabhishi kanye nezindawo zokuzijabulisa kungabe kusabonakala.”

Umagazini waseFrance iGEO wabika ukuthi ngesinye isikhathi inkindlane yokuchithwa kwemfucumfucu ye-Entressen ngaphandle kwaseMarseilles, eFrance, yayifinyelele ukuphakama okungamamitha angu-60 futhi yadonsa izinyoni zosogwini lolwandle ezilinganiselwa ku-145 000. Ucingo olwaluvimbe umngcele wonke wendawo yokuchitha imfucumfucu aluzange luvimbele umoya ekuphephuleni amaphepha nemfucumfucu yeplasitiki. Ngenxa yalokho, izikhulu zendawo zathenga indawo yezolimo eyayincikene nayo engamahektare angu-30 emzamweni wokunqanda lenkinga yemfucumfucu.

Akumangalisi ukuthi ekuhleleni Unyaka Wendawo Ezungezile yaseYurophu—owaphela ngoMarch 1988—iEEC Commissioner Stanley Clinton Davis yathola uhlu lwezinkinga zokungcola “lungapheli.”b Ngokomphumela, umkhankaso wokukhuthaza ukusetshenziswa kabusha kwemfucumfucu wahlelwa ngenjongo yokusebenzisa amaphesenti angu-80 amathani emfucumfucu yoMphakathi angu-2 200 000 000 unyaka ngamunye.

Ukungcolisa ngemfucumfucu akusalinganiselwe eNtshonalanga Yurophu kuphela. Manje kusembulungeni yonke. Ngokukamagazini iNew Scientist, kuye kwaba okudingekile ngisho nokuhlanza izwekazi elikude laseAntarctica. Ososayensi bezokucwaninga baseAustralia bahlanganisa amathani angaphezu kwakungu-40 ezinsimbi zemishini ezilahliwe nezinto zokwakha ezazisakazekele eduze nomhlaba wabo. INew York Times (kaDecember 19, 1989) ibika ukuthi abantu baseMelika eMcMurdo Station, eAntarctica, bahlanza imfucumfucu enqwabelene esineminyaka engu-30, kuhlanganise nogandaganda ongamakhilogremu angu-35 000 owazika ngamamitha angu-24 emanzini.

Yebo, emhlabathini owomile, ukungcola kanye nokonakaliswa kukuyo yonke indawo. Kodwa kuthiwani ngamanzi omhlaba?

Amanzi Angcolile—Awakufanele Ukuphila

“Imifula yaseBrithani iya ingcola ngokwengeziwe ngokokuqala ngqá esikhathini esingaphezu kwengxenyana yekhulu leminyaka,” kwasho iObserver. “IKattegat [ulwandle phakathi kweSweden neDenmark] iyafa. Iya yehluleka ngokukhulu ukushesha ukusekela ukuphila kwezinhlanzi ngenxa yokuthi ingcoliswe kakhulu futhi intula umoya-mpilo,” kubika iTimes yaseLondon. “Imifula yasePoland ngokushesha iba indawo yokugcina indle engcolile futhi ayikho intuthuko ebonakalayo.”—The Guardian.

NgoNovember 1986 kwaba khona inhlekelele yokungcola eyachazwa iDaily Telegraph yaseLondon ‘njengokudlwengulwa komgudu wamanzi waseNtshonalanga Yurophu omkhulu nomuhle kunayo yonke.’ Umlilo owawumkhulu kakhulu emshinini wamakhemikhali waseBasel, eSwitzerland, waletha abacishi bomlilo abacisha ubuhanguhangu bamalangabi ngamapayipi amanzi. Ngokungazelele, bahambisa namanzi amathani alinganiselwa kwayishumi kuya kwangu-30 amakhemikhali nezibulala-zinambuzane ezidla izitshalo kwangena kuyiRhine, bebangela “iChernobyl yemboni yamanzi.” Lesisenzakalo saphuma ezihlokweni eziphambili zamaphephandaba. Nokho, okungavamile ukubikwa iqiniso lokuthi imfucumfucu enoshevu ichithwa njalo kuyiRhine ngokwesilinganiso esingesikhulu ngokuphawulekayo.

Ukungcola kwasemanzini akulinganiselwe endaweni ezungeze umthombo wakho. Kude lé ngamakhilomitha amaningi, imiphumela yakho ingaba ngebulalayo. Imifula yaseYurophu egelezela oLwandle lwaseNyakatho ithumela upende, imithi efaka umbala omhlophe emithini yokuxubha amazinyo, imfucumfucu enoshevu, nomquba ngamanani amakhulu kangangokuthi iNhlangano YaseDashi Yezokucwaninga Ukudoba Izinhlanzi manje ibhala inhlanzi eyisicaba yasoLwandle lwaseNyakatho njengengakufanele ukudliwa. Ukuhlola kubonisa ukuthi amaphesenti angu-40 enhlanzi eyisicaba avela ezindaweni ezingajulile anezifo zesikhumba noma amathumba anomdlavuza.

Ubani okumelwe asolwe ngokonakalisa okunjalo? Abaningi bakhomba izimboni, ukuhahela kwazo izinzuzo okukudlula kude ukukhathalela indawo ezungezile. Nokho, abalimi nabo banecala lokungcolisa iziziba nemifula okuseduze namazwe abo. Ukusebenzisa kwabo okwandayo izivundisi zenitrate kungase manje kubangele izinsalela ezibulalayo lapho kwenziwa ukudla kwemfuyo.

Abantu futhi basebenzisa imifula njengendawo yokuchitha udoti. Umfula iMersey, onendawo engumngenela esigodini esisenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeNgilandi, kuthiwa ungcole kunayo yonke imifula yaseYurophu. “Manje umuntu oyisiwula noma onganaki kuphela ongabhukuda emfuleni iMersey,” kwasho iDaily Post yaseLiverpool, inezela: “Noma ngubani oneshwa elikhulu lokungena emfuleni cishe uyoyiswa esibhedlela egula.”

Amanzi angcolile angacwengekile nawo futhi ayisici esivelele phakathi kwezinto ezingcolisa ulwandle. Ulwandle olusebhishi yamaNgisi ethandwa kakhulu ngezikhathi zokungcebeleka kwabikwa ukuthi lwalunesilinganiso esilingana “nenkomishi egcwele amanzi angcolile angacwengekile ngokwesilinganiso sikabhavu ngamunye wasekhaya,” okwedlula isilinganiso se-EEC izikhathi eziphindwe kane.

Kukhona-ke nenye ingozi; lena iwa esibhakabhakeni.

Imvula Eneacid—Usongo Olukhathazayo

Ngesinye isikhathi, abantu eNgilandi babevame ukufa ngenxa yokuhogela umoya—noma kunalokho intuthu. Namuhla, ukufa okubangelwa ukungcola okunjalo kuyaqabukela. Intuthu yaseLondon, eyabulala abantu abalinganiselwa ku-4 000 ngo-1952, ayiselona usongo. Ezinye izindawo zokuphehlwa kwamandla kagesi ezisebenzisa amalahle ezazihlanganyela ekubangeleni intuthu ziye zathuthelwa ezindaweni zasemaphandleni futhi zafakwa oshimula abaphakeme, futhi kwezinye izimo, izisefa-ntuthu ukuze zisuse ingxenye enkulu yamaphesenti esisi esibulala kakhulu.

Nokho, lokhu akuzange kuqede ukungcoliswa komkhathi. Oshimula abade kungenzeka baye bayisusa ingozi endaweni ezungezile eseduze. Kodwa manje, imimoya enamandla ithumela lezingcolisi ezindaweni ezikude—ngokuvamile kwamanye amazwe. Ngenxa yalokho, iScandinavia ihlushwa ukungcola kwaseBrithani, futhi abantu abaningi babhekisela kuyiBrithani ‘Njengendoda Endala Engcolile YaseYurophu.’ Ngendlela efanayo, imboni yaseNtshonalanga Ephakathi eUnited States ibangela inkinga enkulu yemvula eneacid yaseCanada.

Iminyaka eminingi, ososayensi baye basola isulfur dioxide njengeyimbangela eyinhloko enecala yokungcoliswa komoya okubangela imvula eneacid. Ngo-1985, uDrew Lewis, inxusa likandunankulu waseU.S. ezindabeni zokukhathazeka kweCanada neMelika ngemvula eneacid, wathi: “Ukuthi amasulphate awayibangi imvula eneacid kuyafana nokuthi ukubhema akuwubangi umdlavuza wamaphaphu.” Kubonakala sengathi lapho isulfur dioxide ihlangana nomhwamuko wamanzi, ikhiqiza isulfuric acid, engase yenze ukuba imvula ibe neacid noma ingene emathonsananeni amafu, ngaleyondlela inisele amahlathi asezindaweni eziphakeme ngomswakama obulalayo.

Njengoba imvula eneacid yehla noma, okubi nangaphezulu, njengoba iqhwa elineacid lincibilika, inhlabathi engaphansi iyathinteka. Izazi zesayensi zaseSweden ezazenza ukuhlola kwango-1927 zaphetha ngokuthi ekujuleni kwamasentimitha angu-70, ukuba neacid kwenhlabathi yamahlathi kuye kwanyuka izikhathi eziyishumi. Lolushintsho olungokwamakhemikhali luwathinta ngokungathi sína amandla ezitshalo okumunca amamineral abalulekile, njengecalcium nemagnesium.

Yimuphi umphumela konke lokhu okunawo kumuntu? Uyahlupheka lapho amachibi nemifula okwakugcwele ukuphila kuba neacid futhi kuphelelwa ukuphila. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izazi zesayensi zaseNorway, ekuhloleni kwazo ziphetha ngokuthi ukuba neacid kwamanzi okwandisiwe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kusemachibini noma emhlabathini, kuncibilikisa ialuminum. Lokhu kuveza ingozi yangempela yempilo. Izazi zesayensi ziye zaphawula “ukuhlobana okusobala phakathi kwezibalo eziphakeme zabafayo kanye nokunqwabelana okwandayo kwealuminum” emanzini. Ukuhlangana okunokwenzeka phakathi kwealuminum kanye nesifo seAlzheimer kanye nezinye izifo zasebegugile kuyaqhubeka kushaqisa.

Yiqiniso, ezindaweni ezinjengeMersey River yaseBrithani nendawo yokuchitha imfucumfucu yase-Entressen eFrance, kuye kwenziwa imizamo yokuthuthukisa lesisimo. Nokho, loluhlobo lwenkinga alupheli. Luyavela ngokuphindaphindiwe kuwo wonke umhlaba. Kodwa kusekhona futhi olunye uhlobo lokungcola—olungabonakali.

IOzone—Isitha Esingabonakali

Izinto ezimbiwa phansi ezivuthayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zisetshenziswa emithonjeni yokuphehla amandla kagesi noma emaklobeni abaswe emakhaya, zikhiqiza ezinye izinto ezingcolisayo ngaphezu kwesulfur dioxide. Lezi zihlanganisa amaoxide enitrogen kanye namahydrocarbon angashisiwe.

Umbono ongokwesayensi manje uwasola kakhulu lamanitrogen oxide njengayimbangela yokungcoliswa komoya. Ngaphansi kwethonya lokukhanya kwelanga, asiza ekukhiqizeni umoya obulalayo, iozone. “Iozone iyisingcolisa-moya esibaluleke kakhulu esithinta izitshalo eU.S.,” kwasho uDavid Tingey WeNxusa Lezokuvikela Indawo Ezungezile laseU.S. Walinganisela ukuthi lokhu kwakubiza izwe lakhe imali elinganiselwa ezigidini ezingu-R2 600 ngonyaka ngo-1986. Khona-ke ukulahlekelwa kweYurophu kwabekwa ezigidini ezingu-R1 000 ngonyaka.

Nokho, nakuba imvula eneacid ibulala imithombo yamanzi, abaningi banomuzwa wokuthi iozone, ehlangene ngokuyinhloko nemibhobho yezinjini zezimoto ekhipha intuthu, iyona okumelwe isolwe kakhulu ngenxa yokufa kwezihlahla kunemvula eneacid. IEconomist yaphawula: “Izihlahla [eJalimane] azibulawa ngaphambi kwesikhathi imvula eneacid kodwa iozone. Nakuba igalelo lokufa lingase lilethwe isithwathwa, inkungu eneacid noma isifo, iozone eyenza ukuba izihlahla zingagomeki.” Futhi lokho okwenzeka eYurophu kumane nje kubonisa izimo ezifanayo ezikwamanye amazwekazi. INew Scientist yabika: “Izihlahla ezisemapaki esizwe aseCalifornia zilinyazwa ukungcola komoya okungenzeka ukuthi kuvela kude kakhulu njengaseLos Angeles.”

Nokho, kukhona uhlobo olubi kakhulu lokungcola olungcolisa umhlaba. Luyisici esiyinhloko esiyimbangela ekungcolisweni okungokoqobo kwezwe, amanzi, nomoya weplanethi yethu.

Ukungcola Okungokokuziphatha

Kulula ukukhohliswa ukubukeka kwangaphandle kwabantu. UJesu Kristu wakufanekisa ngokucacile lokhu. Ebhekisela kubaholi benkolo bosuku lwakhe wathi: “Maye kinina . . . ngokuba nifana namaliba acakiweyo abonakala emahle ngaphandle, kanti ngaphakathi agcwele . . . nokungcola konke.” (Mathewu 23:27) Yebo, umuntu angase abonakale engahlalwa-mpukane, ngisho ekhanga ngaphandle, kodwa inkulumo nokuziphatha kwakhe kungase kwembule ubuntu bakhe bangempela obuwohlokile. Kuyadabukisa ukusho ukuthi, ukungcola okunjalo kokuziphatha kukuyo yonke indawo namuhla.

Ukungcola kokuziphatha kuhlanganisa ukusetshenziswa kwezidakamizwa, okusakazeke kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili. Abaculi abaphambili bepop, izithixo ezikhulekelwayo zasesiteji nakumabhayisikobho, futhi ngisho nosomabhizinisi abahloniphekile ngokusobala, baye baba izisulu zesihlamba ngenxa yokuncika kwabo ezidakamizweni. Ukungcola okungokokuziphatha kuhlanganisa futhi nokuziphatha okubi kobulili, okungase kube yimbangela yemikhaya ewohlokile, idivosi, ukukhishwa kwezisu, kanye nokwanda ngokushesha komqedazwe wezifo ezithathelwana ngobulili, kuhlanganise nesifo sengculaza esiwubhadane olusongela ngokungathi sína.

Ekujuleni kwalokhu kungcola okungokokuziphatha kukhona ubugovu, nabo futhi buyimbangela yokungcola okuningi okungokomzimba okuhlupha isintu. UTereza Kliemann, ohileleke ekwelashweni kwengculaza eZweni laseSão Paulo, eBrazil, wachaza lenkinga: “Ukuvinjelwa [kwengculaza] kusho ushintsho ekuziphatheni phakathi kwamaqembu asengozini enkulu futhi lokho kunzima.” Inani elikhulu labantu liyaphikelela ekwenzeni lokho elifuna ukukwenza, kunokuba licabangele indlela izenzo zalo ezithinta ngayo abanye. Ngenxa yalokho, izincwadi, ukuzijabulisa, futhi cishe yonke impucuko yesintu yonakaliswe ukungcola okungokokuziphatha.

Kubantu abacabangayo, imizamo eminingi yosuku lwanamuhla yokuhlanzwa kwendawo ezungezile nokungokokuziphatha ibonakala iyizaba nje zokubalekela ukusolwa. Khona-ke ungase uzibuze ngokufanelekile ukuthi likhona yini elinye ithemba elinokwethenjelwa ngomhlaba ohlanzekile kokubili ngokwendawo ezungezile nangokokuziphatha. Ungadangali. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi ukuphela kokungcola kuseduze!

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Okubi Ukwedlula Izincithakalo Zesikhathi

Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi yokuchayeka kulezici, lobuso betshe eliqoshiwe baveza ukufa okuzifihlile. Okubi ukwedlula izincithakalo zesikhathi yimiphumela ebhubhisayo yokungcola komoya. Izakhiwo ezindala emhlabeni jikelele zibhekene nokuguguleka okucekela phansi kwemvula eneacid eziwohlozayo, kusukela kuyiCity Hall eSchenectady, eUnited States, kuya ezakhiweni ezivelele zaseVenice, eItaly. Kubikwa ukuthi izakhiwo zesikhumbuzo zaseRome ziyakhumuzeka lapho zithintwa. Ithempeli elidumile laseGrisi okuthiwa iParthenon kukholelwa ukuthi liye labhekana nomonakalo omkhulu eminyakeni engu-30 edlule kunasezinkulungwaneni ezimbili ezingaphambi kwaleyo. Ngokuvamile umonakalo onjalo uwumphumela wokuhlangana kwengxubevange yezici zendawo ezungezile kuhlanganisa nezinga lokushisa, umoya, nomswakama, kanye futhi nebacteria ehlala ezindongeni zesakhiwo. Njengoba kunalemiphumela ezintweni ezingaphili, yini okumelwe ibe umphumela wokungcola ezidalweni eziphilayo?

[Isithombe]

Isithombe esiqoshiwe endlini yesonto lombhishobhi eLondon