The Dangers of Burning Charcoal and Wood: A Public Health Crisis in Gaza
When emotions, politics, and ignorance rule, science and logic are often left behind. Scientifically, burning charcoal and wood releases many hazardous and carcinogenic substances such as sulfur oxides, carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and other chemical aromatic compounds. Additionally, a massive amount of airborne particles (aerosols), which are a major component of trees, particularly citrus trees from which charcoal is made, are released. These substances and compounds, due to their light weight, rise to high altitudes and are carried by the wind over long distances in all directions. Often, they react with moisture in the air to form acids, or interact with other compounds, like car exhaust emissions, to create even more toxic substances, a phenomenon known scientifically as the synergistic effect.
Inhalation of these toxic gases continuously and in concentrated amounts, reaching deep into the lungs, truly impacts people’s health, especially the most vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, people with respiratory issues, and those with chest problems.
We are not talking about cooking a small amount of meat with charcoal once in a while on the beach. We are talking about a restaurant that operates continuously in the midst of residential homes, exposing surrounding families to constant smoke day and night, throughout the week, and across the year. This turns their lives into a literal hell. They are forced to breathe smoke all the time, eat under its constant presence, and even keep their windows shut in summer heat to avoid the stench, suffocating both physically and mentally.
Whenever I pass by one of these large restaurants, I am always astonished and puzzled, wondering about the lives of the neighbors living in constant exposure to this massive smoke. What is their life like?
In “Howard Frumkin’s” book, a leading global reference in environmental health, there is an enormous amount of scientific data verified by experts from around the world on the toxicity and health risks of burning wood and charcoal. For those who wish to review this, I am ready to provide them with the information, along with the book itself:
Environmental Health: From Global to Local, Public Health, Environmental Health, Howard Frumkin (editor) – Jossey-Bass (2016)
Certainly, the case of my dear brother, Ahed Al-Shawa, is a very sad one, and I sympathize with him in a very objective manner. However, personal interests cannot take precedence over the public good, and individual profits cannot come at the expense of the suffering and pain of children, women, the elderly, and neighbors. My message is not just to Ahed, but to all owners of restaurants, butcher shops, workshops, garages, milling facilities, and industrial establishments that emit pollution in any form—whether air pollution, noise, water contamination, soil pollution, or even visual pollution.
Blessings in livelihood are directly linked to our respect for others’ rights and their legitimate needs, as per the Islamic principle: “Preventing harm takes precedence over bringing benefits.” So what do we say if the benefit is private or limited, while the harm is widespread?
I hope my words are not misunderstood and that my message reaches all relevant parties, urging official bodies to find appropriate and adequate alternatives for those businesses that need to be closed due to the damage they cause.
