Burning pollution a nuisance

THE EDITOR, Sir:

It is with utter disgust that I write this letter about burning.

Sir, apart from the constant burning of garbage and debris, there is a chemical/metal smelling substance that is being burnt not only in the inner cities, but almost everywhere in the urban and rural areas.

The burning of this particular substance is constant and when it is fused in the atmosphere, it gives off a thick cloud of white smoke that is affecting people's health. At least where I live at the moment, individuals (including myself) experience respiratory problems, as well as a feeling of burning on the skin, weakness in the limbs and dizziness whenever this substance is being burnt.

The individuals who burn this substance camouflage it with the burning of garbage or debris but the smell of the substance is so overpowering that it usually lingers in the atmosphere for hours. This is definitely affecting people's health and especially for the children who go to school in these communities, I believe it does have an effect on their learning and survival. So many of our people are being diagnosed with asthma and other illness (some terminal). These incidents of burning seems to be the result of a new financial thrust and the supervisors of the environment need to find out where the factory for this new endeavour is before it is too late.

Some of us are constantly wishing that we would wake up on more than one morning of the week to a "breath of fresh air", or to go to our bed without this added pollution.

Help!!

I am, etc.,

A concerned and frustrated citizen