Breathing in the City!

Churchill Rosevelt Highway- Alongside the Beetham Landfill

About two weeks ago, on the evening of January 26th, a thick, grey smog creeped over Port-of-Spain, and blanketed the city for a few days. Visibility was impaired for motorists heading into and out of the city and several schools and businesses were closed that week. 

Newspaper article here

I was headed to a dentist's appointment in Woodbrook just after lunch time on Monday 27th January, and instantly noticed the eerily blackened sky as my brother drove down the highway. I had previously learned via social media, that 12 fires at the Beetham landfill had left some smoke in the area, but I did not expect that it would span such a large distance, and that it would take so long to subside.

In the days that followed the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) conducted  tests to determine the air quality in the capital city amidst citizens' claims of  being severely affected by respiratory illnesses. Test results confirmed that the air quality in areas contaminated with the toxic smoke had been stabilised.

C News Live footage of the Beetham fire here.

The PowerGen Power Plant

Like most events that contribute to air pollution, this event was man made. We see air pollution everyday and we contribute to it knowingly and unknowingly as we go about our daily lives. Apart from household and business use of chemicals, cleaning products and paint supplies and burning of garbage which emit harmful chemicals into the air, there lies in the midst of the city, the noticeable Powergen Power Station, with its massive chimneys bellowing smoke into the air, 24/7. Also high on the list of contributors to diminishing air quality in the city is the tremendous amount of exhaust produced by the heavy vehicular traffic in and around Port of Spain.

As we all know, air pollution can impose severe health consequences on all citizens. Even so, urban population growth and development seems to be increasing at an exponential rate. Those most affected by urban air pollution are the city dwellers and those lower income groups agglomerated at the boundary of the city ie. residents of Beetham Gardens and Sea Lots (Hall and Barett 2012: 290).

So, despite being a popular destination for its many attractions and activities, further commercialization and expanding development of Port of Spain seems to have its costs.

But what good is an urban city with poor air quality?

Reference:

Hall, T. and H. Barett. 2012 . Urban Geography. 4th ed. London/ New York: Routeledge.