An environmental expert has warned against burning tyres, garbage and other debris in the streets, saying such an act poisons the environment.

The Unit Head, Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife Environmental Control, Directorate Waste Disposal, Bahrain, Mr Rehan Ahmed, made this observation saying it could cause cancer and other serious illnesses.

The practice of burning tyres as a means of protesting has become a favoured tactic of youths seeking to express their grievances. But according to Ahmed, such acts actually harm people living in the surrounding areas.

“Burning garbage and tyres generates a huge quantity of smoke, dust and ashes, as well as noxious and toxic gases and atmospheric emissions, which severely affect public health and generate more pollution contaminating the soil, groundwater and air,” he said.

He warned that people who breathed in fumes from burning tyres and garbage were exposed to “many pollutant carcinogens including dioxins.”

“Other air pollutants found in smoke produced from such burning include carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter,” he said.

“Dioxins are highly toxic even at extremely low levels and have been linked to serious health problems in humans, including cancer - by acting as promoters of the cancer-causing process whereby malignant tumours are formed, having adverse developmental and reproductive effects.

“The dioxins, furans and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons can migrate significant distances and settle upon food items, crops, pasture and accumulate in the food chain, contaminating meat, dairy and other agricultural products consumed by humans causing food contamination.”

“In addition to dioxins, smoke from open burning of waste and tyres frequently includes significant amounts of more than 20 dangerous pollutants, including benzene, particulates, lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium and mercury, which can damage the respiratory system, nervous system, kidneys and liver of those exposed, who come in contact with or inhale due to wind velocity and direction.”

The results can include headaches, dizziness, breathing difficulties, rapid heartbeat, respiratory infection, liver and kidney damage, cancer and even death.

“The young, sick and elderly with respiratory ailments and asthma are the worst affected by the open waste burning,” added Mr Ahmed.

He urged non-governmental organisations to join forces with the government to discourage the burning of tyres and garbage.

“Neighbourhood watch groups should be formed and activated to report such unhealthy practices to the government,” he said.