PETALILING JAYA: Non-governmental organisations have voiced their worries about possible health hazards for Putra Heights inhabitants after Tuesday's gas pipeline fire. They are concerned this might have resulted in the emission of dangerous substances and airborne contaminants.
A joint statement from 21 non-governmental organizations indicated that the fire likely resulted in substantial releases of atmospheric methane, which poses both immediate and prolonged health hazards.
It was mentioned that natural gas mainly consists of methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas exhibiting significantly greater potential for global warming compared to carbon dioxide.
"Methane has the potential to decrease environmental oxygen levels and may cause various health problems including slurred speech, vision impairment, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, and headaches," they explained.
The organizations mentioned that a study from the United States revealed that emissions from natural gas pipelines might release various air pollutants into the atmosphere. These contaminants include fine particulate matter such as PM2.5 and PM10, along with volatile organic compounds, ozone, and nitrogen oxides.
These dangerous chemicals also lead to prolonged effects such as exacerbating respiratory illnesses and increasing deaths related to respiratory, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular issues.
The groups urged Putrajaya to ensure that investigations into the incident are transparent and the results are released in full to the public.
They also asked that the results of air quality monitoring in the area be released to disclose the impact of the fire, and for methane emissions from the blaze to be revealed.
We urge the government and Petronas to arrange for an independent assessment of the immediate and possible future health and safety effects from this incident, measured up to meet World Health Organization guidelines.
This research ought to be shared with the public, and Petronas needs to offer comprehensive health care support for both nearby residents and emergency personnel.
The statement was crafted by environmental organizations RimbaWatch and Greenpeace Malaysia, and supported by groups such as Sahabat Alam Malaysia, the Consumers Association of Penang, Pusat Komas, and the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism.
Individually, the environmental ministry stated that the air quality in the region remained within healthy limits, with no unusual increase in the air pollution index (API) reported after the fire incident.
The head of the organization, Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar, mentioned that they plan to enhance monitoring efforts both on land and in the sky. This will involve using drones to keep an eye on the Air Pollution Index in the region.