Eli nqaku lipapashwe ngentsebenziswano neZiko loBulungisa boLuntu, inkonzo yeendaba engenzi nzuzo ezinikele kuphando malunga nokungalingani.
Ibhafu. ungqimba. ibhayisekile. UKevin Hartley, uDrew Wynn kunye noJoshua Atkins babesebenza kwisithuba seenyanga ezili-10 omnye komnye xa basweleka, kodwa babesebenza. Izinto zahlukile, kodwa isizathu esifinyeza ubomi babo siyafana: iikhemikhali ezikwii-paint strippers kunye nezinye iimveliso ezithengiswa ezivenkileni. kulo lonke ilizwe.
Bebuhlungu kwaye besoyika, iintsapho zabo zafunga ukuba ziza kwenza konke okusemandleni azo ukuthintela i-methylene chloride ukuba ingabulali omnye umntu.
Kodwa eMelika, zimbalwa izityalo zeekhemikhali eziye zafumana ishwangusha elifanayo ngenxa yokungasebenzi kakuhle kwabasebenzi kunye nokukhuselwa ngabathengi. Ngoko ke i-methylene chloride yaba ngumbulali obulalayo, nangona kwakulunyukiswa malunga neengozi zomphunga wayo kwanangaphambi kokuba kuzalwe uHartley, uWayne kunye no-Atkins. Amashumi amaninzi, ukuba angaphezulu, abulewe kwiminyaka yakutshanje ngaphandle kokungenelela kwanoma yimuphi umbutho.
Emva kophando olwenziwe yiZiko loBulungisa boLuntu kunye neefowuni ezivela kubameli bokhuseleko, i-US Environmental Protection Agency ekugqibeleni icebise ukuba le nto ithintelwe ukusetyenziswa kwayo kwimifanekiso yokupenda.
KwakungoJanuwari 2017, iintsuku zokugqibela zolawulo luka-Obama. UHartley wasweleka ngo-Epreli waloo nyaka, uWynn wasweleka ngo-Okthobha waloo nyaka, no-Atkins wasweleka ngoFebruwari waloo nyaka olandelayo, ngexesha apho ulawulo lukaTrump lwalunenzondelelo malunga nokususwa kwemithetho kwaye lufuna ukususa endaweni yokongeza imithetho—ingakumbi imeko-bume ye-EPA. Isiphakamiso se-methylene chloride asizange sihambe ndawo.
Nangona kunjalo, kwiinyanga ezili-13 emva kokusweleka kuka-Atkins, i-Arhente yoKhuseleko lweNdalo kaTrump, phantsi koxinzelelo, yagqiba ekubeni iyeke ukuthengiswa kweempahla zokusika ipeyinti ezine-methylene chloride. Ngo-Epreli, i-Arhente yoKhuseleko lweNdalo kaBiden yacebisa umthetho owawuza kuyithintela le khemikhali kuzo zonke iimveliso zabathengi nakwiindawo ezininzi zomsebenzi.
“Asifane sikwenze oku eMelika,” utshilo uGqr. Robert Harrison, uprofesa wezonyango lwezonyango zomsebenzi kunye nokusingqongileyo kwiYunivesithi yaseCalifornia, eSan Francisco. “Ezi ntsapho ziiqhawe zam.”
Nantsi indlela abayoyise ngayo imingeni ukuze bafumane ezi ziphumo kunye nento abanokuyicebisa ukuba uqalisa indlela enzima efanayo, nokuba imeko ibandakanya iimveliso eziyingozi, indawo yokusebenza engakhuselekanga, ungcoliseko okanye ezinye iingozi.
“KuGoogle yonke into,” utshilo uBrian Wynn, onomntakwabo oneminyaka engama-31 ubudala uDrew othenge i-methylene chloride ukuze ahlaziye ivenkile yakhe yekofu ebandayo yaseSouth Carolina kunye nefriji engena endlwini. “Kwaye ukufikelela ebantwini.”
Yiyo loo ndlela awafumana ngayo iPublic Integrity Inquiry, eyapapashwa kwiminyaka emibini ngaphambi kokuba umntakwabo asweleke, eqhagamshelana neengcali kwaye efunda yonke into ukusuka apho wayenokuyithenga khona imveliso ukuya kwisizathu sokuba ukufa kwakunzima kangaka ukukulandelela. (Umsi weMethylene chloride uyabulala xa uqokelelana kwiindawo ezivalekileyo, kwaye unokubangela ukuhlaselwa yintliziyo okufana nokufa kwendalo ukuba akukho mntu wenza uvavanyo lwetyhefu.)
Icebiso elivela kuWendy Hartley, umama kaKevin: “I-Academic” ligama eliphambili kuphando. Kusenokubakho uluhlu olubanzi lophando olukulindeleyo apho. “Oku kuya kunceda ukwahlula izimvo kwiinyani,” wabhala kwi-imeyile.
ULauren Atkins, umama kaJoshua oneminyaka engama-31 ubudala, owasweleka ngelixa wayesenza ifolokhwe yebhayisekile yeBMX, uthethe noHarrison we-UCSF izihlandlo ezininzi. NgoFebruwari 2018, wafumana unyana wakhe efile emhlabeni kunye nebhotile yelitha yepeyinti elele kufutshane.
Ulwazi lukaHarrison nge-methylene chloride lwamnceda ukuba aguqulele iingxelo zetyhefu kunye nokuhlolwa kwesidumbu sonyana wakhe zibe yimbangela ecacileyo yokufa. Oku kucaca kudala isiseko esiqinileyo sokwenza okuthile.
Amaxesha amaninzi, ukuchanabeka kwiikhemikhali kunokubangela iziphumo zempilo ezihlala ixesha elide ebantwini ezisenokungabonakali kangangeminyaka emininzi. Ungcoliseko lusenokuba yindaba efanayo. Kodwa ukuba ufuna oorhulumente bathathe inyathelo lokujongana nomonakalo onjalo, uphando lwezemfundo luseyindawo elungileyo yokuqala.
Umthombo ophambili wempumelelo yabo yayikukunxibelelana kosapho namaqela asele esebenza kwimiba yokhuseleko lweekhemikhali kunye nomnye nomnye.
Umzekelo, uLauren Atkins wafumana isicelo seChange.org malunga neemveliso ze-methylene chloride ezivela kwiqela elilwela amalungelo abantu iSafe Chemicals for Healthy Families (ngoku eyiToxic Free Future) waza wasayina isicelo sokukhumbula unyana wakhe osandul’ ukulahleka. UBrian Wayne wolula isandla sakhe ngokukhawuleza.
Amandla anamandla adibene ukuze aqonde ngokupheleleyo iingenelo zawo. Ngaphandle kwesenzo esivela kwi-EPA, ezi ntsapho aziyi kunyanzeleka ukuba ziqale kwasekuqaleni ngokunyanzela abathengisi ukuba basuse iimveliso kwiishelufu zabo: I-Safer Chemicals Healthier Families iqalise iphulo layo elithi “Mind the Stores” ukuphendula olu hlobo lwesicelo.
Akunyanzelekanga ukuba bafumanise imithetho ye-arhente okanye indlela esebenza ngayo ngaphakathi ekukhuthazeni abantu eCapitol Hill ngokwabo. Iikhemikhali ezikhuselekileyo, iintsapho ezisempilweni, kunye neNgxowa-mali yoKhuselo lweNdalo zinolwazi kweli candelo.
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“Xa unokuhlanganisa iqela elinje … unamandla amakhulu ngokwenene,” utshilo uBrian Wynn, ekhomba kwiBhunga loKhuselo lweMithombo yeNdalo njengelinye iqela elilandela lo mba ngenkuthalo.
Ayingabo bonke abantu abanomdla kulo mlo abaya kukwazi ukudlala indima yoluntu kulo. Umzekelo, abafuduki abangenazo iimvume ezisemthethweni ezisisigxina bajongene nomngcipheko omkhulu weengozi emsebenzini, kwaye ukungabikho kweemvume kunokwenza kube nzima okanye kungenzeki ukuba bathethe.
Ukuba ezi ntsapho zigxila ingqalelo yazo yonke kwi-EPA, i-arhente ayinakuthatha manyathelo, ingakumbi xa ulawulo lukaTrump lugxeka imithetho.
Babeka uxinzelelo kubathengisi “ngokulawula iivenkile zabo” ukuba bangathengisi iipeyinti ezikhupha ipeyinti ezine-methylene chloride ukuze basindise ubomi. Izicelo kunye nemibhikisho zisebenze. Iinkampani eziquka iHome Depot kunye neWalmart zivumile ukuyeka.
Bacela amalungu eCongress ukuba athathe inyathelo ngokusebenzisa iSafer Chemicals, Healthier Families kunye neEnvironment Fund. Baye eWashington bephethe iifoto zeentsapho. Bathethe neentatheli baza bafumana iingxelo zeendaba eziye zabangela uxinzelelo ngakumbi.
Amalungu eSenator aseMzantsi Carolina kunye nelungu lePalamente babhale ileta kuScott Pruitt, owayenguMlawuli we-Arhente yoKhuseleko lweNdalo, owayesakuba nguScott Pruitt. Elinye ilungu lePalamente laphakamisa inkcaso kuPruitt ngexesha lendibano ka-Epreli 2018. UBrian Wynn ukholelwa ukuba konke oku kuncede usapho ukuba lulungiselele intlanganiso noPruitt ngoMeyi 2018.
“Unogada wothuka kuba akukho mntu uze kuye,” utshilo uBrian Wayne. “Kufana kakhulu nokudibana nelizwe elikhulu nelinamandla lase-Oz.”
Endleleni, usapho lufake ityala. Basebenzise imidiya yoluntu ukulumkisa abantu ukuba bangazibeki emngciphekweni. ULauren Atkins waya kwiivenkile zezixhobo ukuze azibonele ngokwakhe ukuba ngaba ngokwenene basusa iimveliso ze-methylene chloride kwiishelufu zabo njengoko babesitsho. (Ngamanye amaxesha ewe, ngamanye amaxesha hayi.)
Ukuba konke oku kubonakala kudinisa, awuphazamanga. Kodwa iintsapho zikholelwa ukuba bekucacile ukuba bekuya kwenzeka ntoni ukuba bezingakhange zingenelele.
“Akukho nto iza kwenziwa,” utshilo uLauren Atkins, “njengoko kungazange kwenziwe ngaphambili.”
Uloyiso oluncinci luyanda. Into enye yakhokelela kwenye kuba usapho aluzange lunikezele. Imbono yexesha elide idla ngokufuneka: Ukwenziwa kwemithetho karhulumente kuhamba kancinci.
Kungathatha iminyaka eliqela okanye ngaphezulu ukuba iarhente igqibe uphando olufunekayo ukuze iphakamise umthetho. Esi siphakamiso kufuneka soyise imiqobo ngaphambi kokuba sigqitywe. Nangona kunjalo, nayiphi na imida okanye iimfuno ezintsha zinokuqalwa ngokwezigaba ngokuhamba kwexesha.
Okwavumela iintsapho ukuba zithintelwe kancinci kwi-EPA ngokukhawuleza kukuba i-arhente yazisa esi siphakamiso ngaphambi kokuba isimise ngokwenene. Kodwa kwakusemva kweminyaka emibini enesiqingatha emva kokusweleka kukaKevin Hartley ngaphambi kokuba imiqathango ye-Environmental Protection Agency iqale ukusebenza. Kwaye ayigubungeli ukusetyenziswa kwendawo yokusebenza, njengomsebenzi wokupeyinta ibhafu owenziwa nguKevin oneminyaka engama-21 ubudala emsebenzini.
Nangona kunjalo, ngaphakathi kwiarhente kunokubakho izigqibo ezahlukeneyo ezenziwa ngabaphathi abahlukeneyo. Isiphakamiso samva nje se-EPA, ekulindeleke ukuba samkelwe ngo-Agasti 2024, siza kuthintela ukusetyenziswa kwe-methylene chloride kwindawo yokusebenza ngeenjongo ezininzi, kuquka ukupolisha iibhafu.
“Kufuneka ube nomonde. Kufuneka unyamezele,” utshilo uLauren Atkins. “Xa kufikwa kubomi bomntu, ingakumbi xa kufikwa kubantwana bakho, uyabufumana. Ngokukhawuleza”.
Ukwenza utshintsho kunzima. Kunokuba nzima ukuzisa utshintsho kuba wena okanye umntu omthandayo ukhe wenziwa ubuhlungu, nangona oko kunokunika intuthuzelo engenakufumaneka kwenye indawo.
“Zibophe, kuba oku kuza kuba yintlekele yeemvakalelo,” ulumkisa uLauren Atkins. “Abantu bahlala bendibuza, nangona imvakalelo inzima, kutheni ndiqhubeka ndisenza oku? Impendulo yam ibisoloko isithi: “Ngoko ke akufuneki uhlale phantsi.” indawo yam. Ngoko ke akufuneki ube kufutshane nam.
“Usebenza njani xa ulahlekelwe sisiqingatha sakho? Ngamanye amaxesha ndicinga ukuba intliziyo yakhe yayeka ukubetha kwaye neyam yayeka ukubetha ngaloo mini inye,” utshilo. “Kodwa kuba andifuni abanye abantu badlule koku kwaye andifuni abanye abantu balahlekelwe koko uJoshua wakulahlayo, yinjongo yam leyo. Ndikulungele ukwenza nantoni na.”
UBrian Wynne uneengcinga ezifanayo kwaye ucebisa ezinye izinto zokunciphisa uxinzelelo ukuze akuncede ugqibezele ugqatso lwemarathon. Ijimu yeyakhe. “Kufuneka ufumane indlela yokukhupha iimvakalelo zakho,” utshilo.
UWendy Hartley ufumanise ukuba ubutshantliziyo buyaziphilisa ngokwabo – ngenkxaso yezinye iintsapho kunye neziphumo abazifezekisayo kunye.
Njengomnikeli wezitho zomzimba, unyana wakhe waba nefuthe elithe ngqo kubomi babanye abantu. Kuyakhuthaza ukubona ilifa lakhe lisanda kwiishelufu zeevenkile nakwiiholo zikarhulumente.
“UKevin usindise ubomi obuninzi,” wabhala, “kwaye uya kuqhubeka nokusindisa ubomi kwiminyaka ezayo.”
Ukuba unyanzelisa utshintsho, kulula ukucinga ukuba abantu abalwela amalungelo abantu abachitha imali begcina imeko injalo baya kuhlala bephumelela. Kodwa amava akho obomi anzima kakhulu.
“Ukuba uyazi indlela yokubalisa ibali lakho, kwaye liyinxalenye yobomi bakho, ungakwenza oko — kwaye xa ukwazi ukubalisa elo bali, nceda, bameli,” utshilo uBrian Wayne. “Siza nothando olungenakuthelekiswa nanto.”
Icebiso elivela kuWendy Hartley: “Musa ukoyika ukuveza iimvakalelo zakho.” Thetha ngempembelelo ezinayo ezi mvakalelo kuwe nakusapho lwakho. “Babonise impembelelo yabo ngemifanekiso.”
“Kwiminyaka emithandathu eyadlulayo, ukuba umntu wayethe, ‘Ukuba ubukhwaza kakhulu, urhulumente ebeya kuva,’ bendiya kuhleka,” utshilo uLauren Atkins. “Uyazi? Ilizwi elinye lingenza umahluko. Ndicinga ukuba oko kuyinxalenye yelifa lonyana wam.”
UJamie Smith Hopkins yintatheli yeCenter for Public Integrity, igumbi leendaba elingenzi nzuzo elihlola ukungalingani.