Introduction
Rubber is a yellowish amorphous material obtains from milky sap or latex of various tropical plants especially rubber tree. Rubber factory is an establishment or industry that has to do with the processing of rubber into finished goods or materials such as plastic, nylon, carpets etc. (Telkasakul, 2008).
According to Rungruang and Babel (2008), the amount of waste produced through human activities is increasing in most part of the world. Every factory always generate large volume of waste (include solid, liquid and gaseous waste) which pollute the environment and also have adverse effect on man.
Processes of rubber factory
Production process (tapping of rubber)
The tappers make a thin diagonal act on the bark then the milky white fluid latex begin to flow out and it is collected in a bucket. Around 300ml (50g) of latex can be harvested from one tree per day. The average annual yield with trees activated at a density of 300 per hectare is approximately 2500kg per hectare (Anota, Tontisirin, & Churod, 2007)
Recovering rubber (coagulation) process
The collected latex is put into large tank and formic acid is added, next the latex is allowed to coagulate which takes around 12 hours. The coagulated rubber which is known as the “coagulum” is then squeezed out through a series of rolls which drive out the water, then these soft solid slabs are sent to the next level of the processing (Chaiprapat & Sdoode, 2007).
Smoking process
The pressed coagulum is then dropped over wooden frame and smoked in smoke house using firewood. It takes several days to complete by drying process. The resulting rubber known as “Ribbed smoked sheet” coagulum dried in hot known as “Air dried sheets” these are a better grade of rubber (Sum, 2004)
Manufacturing of rubber product (compound mixing)
In this process, chemicals are added for vulcanization and also addictives such as fillers, vulcanization activators and accelerators are added, carbon black is used as reinforcing filler. It’s effect is increasing tensile strength and resistance to wearing & tearing of the final products (Tan, 2007)
Health implications of improper siting of rubber factory
According to Gamboo (2001) industrial activities result in the degradation of the environment which poses danger on the health of the inhabitant. It causes excess death due to infection cause by the toxicity on the bladder, stomach, lungs etc. These workers risk respiratory, reproductive, dermatologic effect, & injuries etc. Workers are exposed to hazard through inhalation and skin absorption e.g. skin rashes, itching, eczema, vitiligo (in form of leprosy) and other common skin effect caused by working in such environment.
Environmental implication of improper siting of rubber factory
According to Unuraye and Olojoba (2007) Natural rubber processing sector consume large volume of water and chemicals. It discharge massive amount of solid, liquid waste. The most common environmental issues are waste water containing chemicals, hazardous waste, noise thermal emission and smoke waste, water discharged from latex rubber processing usually contain high level of BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), SS (suspended solid).
The odour causing such as ammonia, amines which are present in waste water it effluent consisting of these chemical are discharged into the river, it can cause unpleasant taste of water from several miles. A mixture of several gases is generated in manufacturing, in smoking stage and from machines; lots of smoke are emitted whish affect the growth of plantain nearby (Wright & Nebel, 2007)
Causes of improper siting of rubber factory
According to Olojoba (2009) the following causes of improper sitting of a rubber factory include.
- Negligence: Proper care and attention are important factors that are necessary in sitting a rubber factory.
- Ignorance: When the people are ignorant and fail to understand the implication of sitting a rubber factory, it brings down such aesthetic values of the factory.
- Lack of proper planning: When there is lack of proper planning, there will be a poor drawing plan of the proposed project.
- Lack of awareness – Whereby the people are uneducated, it makes them engage in such act because they are not properly trained.
Factors needed to be considered in sitting a rubber factory
According to Iyagba, Adoki and Sokari (2008) the following factors must be considered in sitting a rubber factory:
- Availability of land: There should be enough space for the development and establishment of this factory.
- Good road network: Proper designed constructed, road should be made available for the transportation of raw materials and finished goods.
- Nearness to power supply: Good power supply should be made possible to run the day to day activities of the factory.
- Portable water supply: Wholesome water should be available in the site for workers and also the manufacturing of the rubber.
- Adequate manpower: Trained personnel should be made available in the processing and manufacturing of these factories.
Summary
In summary rubber is a yellowish amorphous least material obtained from the milky sap or latex of various tropical plants especially the rubber tree, the effect of rubber in the environment is that the air of the environment where the factory is sited will be polluted. It causes offensive odor, it causes excess death due to infection caused by the toxicity on the bladder, stomach, lungs, the workers risk respiratory, dermatologic, reproductive effects and injuries, these health effect can be attributed to a single chemical because this kind of a workplace exposes to various chemical formulation. Most of these chemical found in factory have been tested for carcinogenicity or toxicity. It is recommended that the people should be health educated in use of personal protective equipment to be used adequately, the workers should wash hand thoroughly as much as possible after coming in contact with chemicals, the workers should also use barrier cream (cream between skin and chemical), the workers should also be urged to take a shower before leaving the factory to avoid been contaminated with such chemicals.
Conclusion
Management of factories should be involved in safety management, inspection of facilities, and effect repair on faculty facilities promotion of safety among staff and help to carry out environmental safety on worksite.
Recommendations
- The people need proper health education on the need to keep their environment safe and how to protect our environment from degrading.
- The use of personal protective equipment should be encouraged
- The factory techniques of the people should be changed, for example the idea of disposing waste water from factory into river, stream which is the source of water for the community should be discouraged.
- The workers should be urged to take a shower before leaving the worksite.
- The workers should wash hand properly as much as possible after contaminated with chemicals.
- They should use barrier cream (make a barrier between skin and chemicals.)
- Use dry chemicals that are sealed in bags that can be placed directly into the mixing.
- Proper ventilations method should be provided.
- The use of electrostatic precipitators in trapping smoke particles and fine solid particles (dust, fumes).
- Recycle and refuse waste water where possible.
References
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