Le ndaba yanyatheliswa ngokubambisana ne-Centre for Public Integrity, igumbi lezindaba elingenzi nzuzo elihlola ukungalingani.
ibhavu. ungqimba. ibhayisikili. UKevin Hartley, uDrew Wynn, noJoshua Atkins babesebenza imisebenzi ehlukene lapho beshona beshiyana ngezinyanga ezingaphansi kweziyi-10, kodwa imbangela yokufinyeza izimpilo zabo yayifana: ikhemikhali etholakala ku-paint thinner neminye imikhiqizo ethengiswa ezitolo ezweni lonke.
Ngenxa yosizi nokwesaba kwabo, umndeni wafunga ukuthi uzokwenza konke okusemandleni awo ukuvimba i-methylene chloride ukuthi ingaphinde ibulale.
Kodwa e-US, ngomlando wayo ongemuhle wokuvikelwa kwabasebenzi nabathengi, ngokumangazayo ambalwa amakhemikhali abhekane nalesi simo. Yile ndlela i-methylene chloride eyaba ngayo umbulali olandelanayo, naphezu kwezixwayiso mayelana nezingozi zomusi wayo kudala ngaphambi kokuba kuzalwe uHartley, uWynn, no-Atkins. Kubulewe amashumi amaningi, uma kungengaphezulu, eminyakeni edlule ngaphandle kokungenelela kwenhlangano.
Ngemva kophenyo olwenziwe yi-Centre for Public Integrity kanye nezicelo ezivela kubameli bezokuphepha, i-US Environmental Protection Agency ekugcineni yaphakamisa ukuthi kuvinjelwe ukusetshenziswa kwayo kakhulu ezisuseni zopende.
KwakuyiJanuwari 2017, izinsuku zokugcina zombuso ka-Obama. UHartley washona ngo-Ephreli walowo nyaka, uWynn ngo-Okthoba walowo nyaka, u-Atkins ngoFebhuwari walowo nyaka olandelayo phakathi kokuxokozela kukahulumeni kaTrump, futhi uhulumeni kaTrump ufuna ukuyeka imithetho, hhayi ukuyingeza, ikakhulukazi e-Environmental Protection Agency. Isiphakamiso se-methylene chloride saba yize.
Kodwa-ke, ezinyangeni ezingu-13 ngemva kokushona kuka-Atkins, i-Trump Environmental Protection Agency, ngaphansi kwengcindezi, yanquma ukuyeka ukuthengiswa kwemikhiqizo yokupenda equkethe i-methylene chloride. Ngo-Ephreli, i-Environmental Protection Agency kaBiden yaphakamisa ukuthi kuvinjelwe le khemikhali kuyo yonke imikhiqizo yabathengi kanye nezindawo eziningi zokusebenza.
“Asivamile ukwenza lokhu e-US,” kusho uDkt. Robert Harrison, uprofesa wezokwelapha wezokwelapha kanye nezemvelo eNyuvesi yaseCalifornia, eSan Francisco. “Le mindeni iyiziqhawe zami.”
Nansi indlela abanqoba ngayo amathuba okuthola le miphumela, kanye neseluleko sabo uma usesendleleni efanayo enzima, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isimo sihilela imikhiqizo eyingozi, izimo zokusebenza ezingaphephile, ukungcola, noma ezinye izingozi.
“Bheka konke ku-Google,” kusho uBrian Wynn, umfowabo oneminyaka engu-31 ubudala uDrew othenge umkhiqizo we-dichloromethane ukuze avuselele isitolo sakhe sekhofi sikabhiya obandayo eSouth Carolina. “Futhi kukhanga abantu.”
Nakhu ukuthi wafunda kanjani ngophenyo lomphakathi olwanyatheliswa eminyakeni emibili ngaphambi kokushona komfowabo, exhumana nochwepheshe futhi efunda konke kusukela lapho angathenga khona ukudla kuya ekutheni kungani lokhu kufa kunzima kangaka ukukuthola. (Intuthu ye-methylene chloride iyabulala uma inqwabelana ngaphakathi endlini, futhi ikhono layo lokubangela ukuhlaselwa yinhliziyo libukeka njengokufa kwemvelo uma kungekho muntu owenza izivivinyo zobuthi.)
Iseluleko esivela kunina kaKevin, uWendy Hartley: “I-Academic” yigama eliyinhloko ekusesheni. Kungase kube neqoqo elikhulu locwaningo olukulindele. “Lokhu kuzosiza ukuhlukanisa umbono neqiniso,” kubhala yena ku-imeyili.
ULauren Atkins, unina kaJoshua, oneminyaka engu-31, owashona ezama ukulungisa ifoloko engaphambili yebhayisikili lakhe le-BMX, wakhuluma ne-UCSF Harrison izikhathi eziningana. NgoFebhuwari 2018, wathola indodana yakhe ifile ifile eduze kwebhodlela le-litre ye-paint stripper.
Ulwazi lukaHarrison nge-methylene chloride lwamsiza ekuhumusheni imibiko yobuthi bendodana yakhe kanye nokuhlolwa kwesidumbu kube imbangela eqondile yokufa. Lokhu kucaca kuyisisekelo esiqinile sesenzo.
Ngokuvamile, ukuchayeka kumakhemikhali kubambezela ukulimala kwabantu, okubangela imiphumela yezempilo engase ingabonakali iminyaka eminingi. Ukungcola kungaba yindaba efanayo. Kodwa ucwaningo lwezemfundo luseyindawo enhle yokuqala uma ufuna ohulumeni benze okuthile ngalezi zingozi.
Umthombo oyinhloko wempumelelo yabo ukuthi le mindeni ixhumene namaqembu asevele esebenza ngokuphepha kwamakhemikhali futhi axhumene.
Isibonelo, uLauren Atkins uthole isicelo ku-Change.org mayelana nemikhiqizo ye-methylene chloride evela eqenjini elimele i-Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, manje eliyingxenye ye-Toxin-Free Future, wasisayina ukuhlonipha indodana yakhe esanda kushona. UBrian Wynn welula isandla sakhe ngokushesha.
Ukusebenzisana ngokubambisana kusizakala ngamandla abo. Uma kungekho sinyathelo se-EPA, le mindeni akudingeki iqale phansi ukuphoqa abathengisi ukuthi basuse imikhiqizo emashalofini abo: I-Safer Chemicals Healthy Families yethule umkhankaso we-“Think Store” ukuphendula izingcingo ezinjalo.
Futhi akudingeki ukuthi bathole ukusebenza kwangaphakathi kokwenziwa kwemithetho yomnyango noma ukunxenxa eCapitol Hill ngokwabo. I-Safer Chemicals Healthy Families kanye ne-Environmental Defense Fund banolwazi kule ndawo.
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“Uma ungakha iqembu elinjengaleli… unamandla angempela,” kusho uBrian Wynn, ephawula i-Natural Resources Defense Council, elinye iqembu elisebenzayo kule ndaba.
Akuwona wonke umuntu onentshisekelo kulo mzabalazo ozokwazi ukudlala indima yomphakathi kuwo. Isibonelo, abokufika abangenazo izimo zomthetho ezihlala njalo basengozini enkulu yokuba sengozini emsebenzini, futhi ukuntuleka kwesimo kungenza kube nzima noma kungenzeki ngabo ukukhuluma.
Ngokumangalisayo, uma le mindeni igxila konke ukunaka kwayo kwi-Environmental Protection Agency, i-ejensi ingase ingasebenzi, ikakhulukazi ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaTrump.
Nge-Mind the Store, banxusa abathengisi ukuthi basindise izimpilo ngokungathengisi iziqeshana zokupenda ezine-methylene chloride. Izicelo kanye nemibhikisho kusebenze. Izinkampani ezifana ne-Home Depot kanye ne-Walmart zavuma ukuyeka.
Ngosizo lwe-Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families kanye ne-Environmental Defense Fund, banxusa amalungu eCongress ukuthi athathe isinyathelo. Baye eWashington nesithombe somndeni. Bakhulume nezintatheli, futhi ukusakazwa kwezindaba kwabavusa kakhulu.
AmaSenetha aseSouth Carolina kanye nelungu elilodwa leCongress babhalela uScott Pruitt, owayengumqondisi we-Environmental Protection Agency ngaleso sikhathi. Elinye ilungu leCongress lanxusa uPruitt ukuba ahoxe ekuxoxeni ngalolu daba ngesikhathi sokulalelwa kwecala ngo-Ephreli 2018. Konke lokhu, ngokusho kukaBrian Wynn, kwasiza imindeni ukuhlela umhlangano noPruitt ngoMeyi 2018.
“Ezokuphepha zashaqeka ngoba akekho owaya ukuyombona,” kusho uBrian Wynn. “Kufana kakhulu nokuhlangana ne-Oz enkulu nenamandla.”
Endleleni, imindeni yaphendukela ezinkantolo. Basebenzise izinkundla zokuxhumana ukuxwayisa abantu ukuthi bangazifaki engozini. ULauren Atkins waya esitolo sezinto zokwakha ukuze azibonele ukuthi ngabe bakwenzile ngempela lokho abathi bakwenza ukukhipha imikhiqizo ye-methylene chloride emashalofini. (Ngezinye izikhathi yebo, ngezinye izikhathi cha.)
Uma konke lokhu kuzwakala kuyisicefe, awuphosisi. Kodwa imindeni ikwenze kwacaca ukuthi kuzokwenzekani uma ingangeneleli.
“Akukho okuzokwenziwa,” kusho uLauren Atkins, “njengoba kungekho lutho oluke lwenziwa ngaphambili.”
Ukunqoba okuncane kuyaphindaphindeka. Into eyodwa iholela kwenye njengoba umndeni ungayeki. Ngokuvamile kudingeka isixazululo sesikhathi eside: ukwenziwa kwemithetho kahulumeni kuhamba kancane ngokwemvelo.
Kungathatha iminyaka eminingana noma ngaphezulu ukuthi i-ejensi iqedele ucwaningo oludingekayo ukuze kuthuthukiswe umthetho. Isiphakamiso kwadingeka sidlule ezinkingeni ngaphambi kokuba siqedwe. Kodwa-ke, noma yimiphi imikhawulo noma izidingo ezintsha cishe zizovela kancane kancane ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.
Okwavumela imindeni ukuthi ithole ukuvinjelwa okungaphelele kwe-EPA ngokushesha kangaka ukuthi i-ejensi ikhiphe lesi siphakamiso ngaphambi kokusibeka eceleni. Kodwa ukuvinjelwa kwe-EPA akuzange kusebenze kwaze kwaba yiminyaka engu-2.5 ngemuva kokushona kukaKevin Hartley. Futhi abakumbozi ukusetshenziswa endaweni yokusebenza - njengoKevin oneminyaka engu-21 ubudala edlala ngendlu yangasese emsebenzini.
Kodwa-ke, le nhlangano ingenza izinqumo ezahlukene kuye ngokuthi ubani ophethe. Isiphakamiso sakamuva se-EPA, esihlelelwe u-Agasti 2024, sizovimbela ukusetshenziswa kwe-methylene chloride ezindaweni eziningi zokusebenza, okuhlanganisa nokuhlanza amabhavu.
“Kumelwe ubekezele. Kumelwe uphikelele,” kusho uLauren Atkins. “Uma kwenzeka empilweni yothile, ikakhulukazi uma kuyizingane zakho, uyakuthola. Kwenzeka njengamanje.”
Ukushayela ushintsho kunzima. Ukufuna ushintsho ngoba wena noma othandekayo wakho ulimele kungaba nzima kakhulu, noma ngabe kunganikeza induduzo okungekho okunye okungakunikeza.
Zibophe ngoba lokhu kuzoba ingozi yesitimela engokomzwelo, kuxwayisa uLauren Atkins. “Abantu bangibuza njalo ukuthi kungani ngiqhubeka nokwenza lokhu, naphezu kokuthi kungokomzwelo futhi kunzima? Impendulo yami ibilokhu iyilokhu futhi izohlala iyilokhu: “Ngakho akudingeki uhlale endaweni yami. Akudingeki ngibe lapho ngikhona.”
“Uzizwa kanjani uma ulahlekelwa ingxenye yakho? Ngezinye izikhathi kubonakala kimi sengathi inhliziyo yakhe yema ngosuku olufanayo nolwami,” kusho yena. “Kodwa njengoba ngingafuni muntu adlule kulokhu, angifuni muntu alahlekelwe yilokho uJoshua alahlekelwa yikho, futhi yilowo umgomo wami. Ngikulungele ukwenza noma yini edingekayo.”
UBrian Wynn, oshukunyiswe ngendlela efanayo, unikeza iseshini yokunciphisa ukucindezeleka ukuze akusize uqedele i-marathon yakho. Ijimu ingeyakhe. “Kufanele uthole indlela yokukhulula imizwa yakho,” kusho yena.
UWendy Hartley ukholelwa ukuthi ubushoshovu buyaphulukisa ngokwako ngokusekelwa eminye imindeni kanye nemiphumela abayifezayo ndawonye.
Njengomnikeli wezitho zomzimba, indodana yakhe yaba nomthelela oqondile empilweni yabanye. Kuhle ukubona ifa lakhe lisakazeka kabanzi emashalofini ezitolo nasemahhovisi kahulumeni.
“UKevin usindise izimpilo eziningi,” wabhala, “futhi uzoqhubeka nokusindisa izimpilo iminyaka eminingi ezayo.”
Uma ucindezela ushintsho, kulula ukucabanga ukuthi abagqugquzeli bemicimbi abakhokhela ukugcina isimo sinjalo bazohlala bewina. Kodwa okuhlangenwe nakho kwakho empilweni kunesisindo esingenakuthengwa.
“Uma wazi ukuthi ungayilandisa kanjani indaba yakho, khona-ke iyingxenye yempilo yakho, khona-ke ungayenza – futhi uma ungakwazi ukuyilandisa leyo ndaba, ngikufisela inhlanhla, mgqugquzeli wezokuvakasha,” kusho uBrian Wayne. “Size nothando olungenakuqhathaniswa.”
Iseluleko sikaWendy Hartley: “Ungesabi ukukhombisa imizwa yakho.” Khuluma ngomthelela kuwe nomndeni wakho. “Babonise umthelela womuntu siqu ngezithombe.”
“Eminyakeni eyisithupha edlule, ukube othile wayethe, ‘Uma umemeza kakhulu kangaka, uhulumeni uzokulalela,’ bengizohleka,” kusho uLauren Atkins. “Uyazi? Ivoti elilodwa lingenza umehluko. Ngicabanga ukuthi liyingxenye yefa lendodana yami.”
UJamie Smith Hopkins uyintatheli ye-Center for Public Integrity, igumbi lezindaba elingenzi nzuzo eliphenya ngokungalingani.