By Lenah Bosibori
Nairobi, Kenya: In the bustling heart of Nairobi, lies a market covered in a toxic secret of smoke. This cloud of smoke doesn’t come from factories or vehicles, but from the small eateries that rely on charcoal and firewood for cooking.
Burma Market, known for its vibrant trade in meat and chicken, is full of smoke that not only impacts the environment but the very lives and dreams of the population working around the area.
I began a fact-finding mission to establish the true cost of these overlooked emissions. Before I entered the market, the atmosphere was decorated with fluttering butterflies, their presence serving as a visible testament to the state of affairs. The inescapable odor emanating from the market couldn’t remain hidden but welcomed me with a pungent and unique scent as I approached.
I met Kelvin Musembi, a worker at one of these eateries in the market. He has only been on the job for six months, but in that short time, his health has taken a hit. He shares, “When I first came here, I didn’t have frequent sneezing and coughing challenges. However, after just one week of working at the eatery, I began experiencing chest problems and persistent headaches,” said Musembi during an interview at the market.
According to Musembi, his challenges persisted forcing him to look for medication, since he spent most of his working time in the market, he opted for self-medication by visiting a nearby chemist.
“At the chemist, I was handed painkillers like Panadol which relieved my pain for only one week. The chest problem returned. This time around, forcing me to be admitted in Machakos, a small dispensary where my sister works as a nurse,” added Musembi.
“I explained to her what I was going through, luckily, I got some medications and relief. He recalls, “My sister came to my rescue with some medication and advised me to start my day with a glass of milk before work and have another before bed at night,” adds Musembi.
Musembi has also picked up a few helpful tips from his colleagues who have faced similar challenges. “My friends told me not to stand directly in the path of the fire. I now position myself beside the fire, looking away to avoid direct contact with the smoke coming from the source of the fire,” he adds.
Contrary to the advice Musembi got from his nurse in Machakos hospital, taking milk to reduce pollution pollutants in the body is a myth according to Sammy Simiyu Public Health officer at Nairobi City County.
“When one inhales the pollutants, like particulate matter (PM) 2.5, it goes through their nostril all the way to the lowest parts of the respiratory tract and it can access into the circulatory system and milk cannot clear the pollutants from the body,” said Simiyu.
Simiyu adds that the workers are using unclean fuel which emits air pollutants that is PM 2.5, carbon monoxide, and other fumes that are harmful to human health. PM 2.5 are tiny particles or droplets in the air that are 2 ½ microns or less in width.
“Mostly, the community associates air pollution with respiratory diseases. Exposure to these pollutants contributes to many other diseases. When you look at the estimates of the country, 33 percent of stroke deaths are associated with air pollution, diabetes, lung cancers, lower respiratory diseases, and neonatal deaths are all associated with air pollution exposure,” said Simiyu.
Further Simiyu adds that there are many documented cases like people getting hospitalized leading to a burden to the government, absenteeism from both schools and workplaces, respiratory symptoms, and other medical conditions like asthma attacks and decreased lung function due to prolonged exposure.
Simiyu adds that there is no alternative for roasting meat in Kenya apart from the use of charcoal, he advises the public to improve their exposure time at the fireplace and to put ventilations which are not sustainable solutions since they also emit pollutants to the environment.
“We need a lot of intervention from the community, government regulations, and the consumers, it has to be done jointly with a lot of engagements,” adds Simiyu.
Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air. These pollutants are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole.
According to, the State of Global Air/Kenya, air pollution is the 8th leading risk factor for premature deaths, nearly 19,000 in Kenya in 2017 alone, accounting for about 7 percent of deaths.
The study further explains that air pollution exposures, including exposure to outdoor PM2.5, and Household Air Pollution (HAP), have been linked to increased hospitalizations, disability, and early death from respiratory diseases, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, diabetes, as well as communicable diseases like pneumonia.
Musembi isn’t alone, I also met Felista Nyanchama, who works as a dishwasher at a different restaurant. She told me that even though she has been working at the restaurant for six years, she still experiences problems with the smoke coming from the use of charcoal while roasting meat.
“Sometimes I get nosebleeds when I go for a long time without drinking milk. The smoke is right in my face, and even if I try to avoid it, it’s impossible because I have to wash the dishes so that the next customer can have something to eat. The owner also wants to see me working even if the space is very small, I can’t stand in the corridor or occupy another restaurant’s space,” said Nyanchama.
She adds that even when she went to deliver her firstborn, she experienced complications that led her to remain in the hospital for three months.
According to the University of Nairobi, (UON) The air we breathe is killing us! | University of Nairobi, this was said by Prof Nicholas Oguge during a stakeholder engagement workshop at UON on Thursday, February 24, 2022, during the release of the ‘Air Pollution in the City of Nairobi: Bridging Evidence with Policy.
Prof. Paul Njogu Environmental Analysis and Technology Section, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), says that people operating in the Burma market have exposed themselves to a health risk that affects their respiratory tract.
“The severity of the health effect depends on the size of the particles. Particles are classified as PM 10 and PM2.5 though we have other sizes. The PM2.5 is the finest or smallest with diameters of 2.5 x 10-6 meters and can deposit deep into the lungs i.e. the air sac,” said Njogu.
He says that the human body has various mechanisms for removing large particles but there is no mechanism for removal of the PM2.5. Once in the air sac depending on the compositions, some of the constituents can enter the bloodstream.
“Of concern is that some of the particles could contain toxic compounds that can cause cancer such as Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and even dioxins, combustion or burning of wood fuels and charcoal produce such toxic compounds as well as PM2.5, household or exposure from cooking fuels is considered an important route to causing ill respiratory health,” he added.
Njogu also reiterated that the emissions at Burma Market can be attributed to the PMs in the cooking emissions. “Another potent toxin is carbon monoxide (CO), CO affects the ability of the blood to transport oxygen by displacing oxygen and binding with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin. This can lead to headaches, drowsiness, and in extreme cases even death,” added Njogu.
Njogu adds that people in Burma risk long-term health exposure. “One of the notable long-term effects of such exposure is respiratory infections and cancers of the respiratory tract. “However, this will depend on the type of toxins one is exposed to,” he added.
Previous studies have recorded high concentrations of carcinogens-cancer-causing toxins in soot implying similar or lower levels in emissions. Such compounds have also been detected in fly ash and bottom ash of combustion devices.
Since this is the area where the people get their daily bread, it is hard to remove them even if the exposure is too much, Njogu recommends workers or operators of such kitchens who are exposed to the emissions for long periods;
“Reduce exposure to combustion/Cooking emission by using personal protective gear such as nose masks. The masks are effective at filtering out the particles before entering the respiratory system,” added Njogu.
According to Njogu, another way of reducing the exposure is by ensuring that the meat roasting areas are well-ventilated or using enclosed meat roasting ovens. The use of ovens reduces the continued emission exposure significantly.
Ways the community can use to reduce Air Pollution
According to Njogu, the local community can help reduce exposure or impacts of air pollution by using clean fuels and environmental protection actions and living under environmentally mindful consumption. “These will also require awareness campaigns to educate the population on air pollution causes and how the emissions can be reduced or mitigated,” he added.
Further Njogu says that high-polluting fuels and activities should be avoided and actions taken to control or eliminate pollution release. “The use of clean fuels and environmental protection actions can reduce air pollution in our cities,” he added.
Njogu urges people to plant trees, because “Trees filter pollutants and absorb carbon dioxide, they also release oxygen into the atmosphere and serve to clean the air,” said Njogu.
“Drive less since vehicle exhaust is a major source of air pollution. “Carpooling, cycling, bus use, and use of electric cars have proven effective pollution abatement approaches,” added Njogu
He called upon people to resist burning garbage. “Burning of solid wastes is dangerous to health and environment,” added Njogu.
To the Burma workers, Dr Njogu urges them to use less energy and champion clean air actions. “Use of efficient appliances and heating systems should be encouraged and locals should come up with programs that help reduce air pollution,” added Njogu.
During his speech during the Fourth Annual International Clean Air Day for the Blue Skies, Governor Nairobi City County Johnson Sakaja said that in the last few years, there has been a sharp rise in pollutants and a decline in air quality that is increasing the mortality especially among.
“We must get tough about pollution, it is really and it does discriminate, it does not know class, it is a global problem, it is a silent tragedy, our cities bear the brunt and particularly here in Africa,” said Sakaja.
“Our administration is constantly monitoring Nairobi’s air quality, we will get the new Air Quality Bill and present it to our assembly so that we also have a legislative framework for the interventions that we intend to carry out,” said Sakaja.
He added that the County will get the new air quality regulations done and passed to enable cut emissions. “We will also have monitors in estates, neighborhoods, places of work, and markets, those promises will be fulfilled,” added Sakaja.
“We have committed to increasing our air quality monitoring infrastructure by adding 17 more local censors and a reference station as a step towards improving and mainstreaming air quality and climate change actions,” reiterated Sakaja.
Engineer Bainomugisha the Founder of AirQo said air pollution is a major threat to climate and health and it requires long-term commitments.
“We have not done research in the marketplaces but we have deployed over 15 quality air monitors across Nairobi,” said Bainomugisha.
This story was made possible with a grant from the Earth Journalism Network (EJN).
