Write a letter to the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency in your country complaining about the environmental pollution of your area and requesting that urgent action be taken to improve the situation.
Explanation
26 Oluremi Adesina Street
Ikeja, Lagos.
19th June, 2000
The Director,
Environmental Protect Agency
18 Creek Road
Yaba, Lagos.
Dear Sir,
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION OF MY AREA
I am writing to formally bring to your attention the environmental pollution in my area which has made life unbearable for the people of the place. Our environment is highly polluted to the extent that breathing has become difficult. The air we breathe in and out is heavily polluted and the community stands the risk of an epidemic outbreak.
Refuse is dumped indiscriminately by the roadside and human faeces and toxic waste are emptied into the nearby stream. As a result of this, the stream which was flowing before is now stagnant, thus becoming a breeding place for mosquitoes. What further complicates the whole situation is that some illiterate women go to this stream to fetch water they use for cooking and other domestic chores. Some even drink the water from this stream. This has constituted a health hazard in the area as an epidemic can break out from this unhealthy condition and before we know it, many lives will be lost.
The textile and iron-smelting companies in our area have further worsened the situation as their furnace emit dark smoke into the air every day. Every working day, our environment is highly polluted with smoke which makes it difficult for us to breathe. We only have respite at week-ends when these companies are not working. The toxic water from the textile factory is another source of environmental pollution. Though the toxic water flows into the nearby canal, it leaves behind a greenish stain on the side of the gutter and I know it must be emitting some poisonous gases into the air. We are prone to a lot of health hazards, to say the least, and we want the government to come to our aid. This is very necessary in order to avert an outbreak of epidemic in the area.
Recently, there were cases of some residents of the area who were taken to the hospital and they were diagnosed with kidney problems. This is not unconnected with the impure air they breathed in. We would appreciate it if you could use your good offices to put in place a new and modern means of disposing of toxic waste in our area. The waste disposal board has to consider our area as a high-risk area and treat it as such with utmost urgency.
I would be grateful if you could pay a visit to our community to assess the situation and take urgent action to improve this unwholesome situation.
Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
Olukunle Ebun.