Lagos — The threat of global climate change is yet to sink into the minds of Nigerians. Abimbola Akosile spoke with an expert, Professor B. Oso of Arati Environmental Limited on possible fallout from a changing world. Excerpts:

The issue of climatic change is real and an integral part of man's activities on Earth. Hence, it is real that the climate is being destroyed reflected in the meteorological imbalance in most countries recently.

In Nigeria, unless we begin to take urgent steps at checking the effects of climate change, then we should expect increasing deforestation and ocean shore levels, resulting to imbalance in the ecosystems in land, air and water.

Greatest Cause of Environmental Pollution in Nigeria

This is due to poor environmental standards by the regulatory agency of the Government. The oil operating companies should support clean-up, conservation and restoration activities in their host communities. In addition, oil companies should clean up oil spills and eliminate gas flares.

They should also provide special compensation to communities devastated by environmental degradation. The expanded use of renewable energy technologies would further reduce dependence on fossil fuels thereby limiting damage to local ecosystems.

Classification of Factors

There are man-made factors called anthropogenic takes place when exploration occur without global impact assessment and social responsibly investment to oil producing communities.

Most Harmful Impact of Pollution

The United States Department of Energy estimates that over 4,000 oil spills discharging more than two million barrels of crude have occurred in the Niger Delta since 1960. Oil slicks cover the region. Blow-outs and leaks affect creeks, streams, and related traditional sources of livelihood, poisoning the water supply, destroying mangrove forests, eroding soil plots, and killing aquatic life.

Hundreds of well sites have flares, which come from the burning of associated gas. The flares heat up everything nearby and turn day into night, releasing million tons of CO2 and 12 million tons of methane annually.

Resulting sulfuric acid mists damage plants and forests. Flares pollute rain water, cause acid rain, and contribute to climate change. Many residents suffer from oil poisoning. Crude oil enters the body through skin absorption, ingestion of food and water, and inhalation of oil and dust particles.

Oil poisoning also causes respiratory ailments. In addition, residents suffer from a plethora of water borne diseases such as malaria, dysentery, tuberculosis, typhoid, and cholera. Life expectancy is low and child morbidity rates are high.

FG's Remediation Efforts

This is poorly managed and there is little or no commitment by the stakeholders to improve the quality of life of the oil producing communities.

Focus on Bio-technology Solution

Biotechnology (environmental) involves scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents to provide goods and services, like OBD Plus ® Technology which pushes the frontiers of microbiology and botany, including the complex systems interactions, by studying microbes that can be used to help us solve our environmental challenges.

We use the technology (OBD Plus ® ) to convert organic waste -to-wealth called zero waste management activities in the environment. OBD Plus is an environmental biotechnology Product.

It uses nature's own tool kit (biological agents) and relies on new understanding of the biology of microbes and microbial communities, geochemistry, plants, the ecosystems to explore innovative options for cleaning up the environment for sustainable development.

Arati's Natural Clean-up Process

Arati uses botany and microbiology in this process. This is an innovative technology involving the use of a powdery material produced from Plant extracts and impregnated with special strains of micro-organisms capable of breaking down organic matter and biodegrading crude oil and various types of hydrocarbons fast for environmental management.

This material, which was invented by me (Professor Oso) and patented as OBD-Plus ® (Oso Biodegrader-Plus) bio-remediates oil polluted soil at a fast rate; bio-degrades oil pollutants on water; breaks down urban refuse into nutrient rich organic fertiliser within four weeks; treats Drill cutting effectively;

It also enhances oil recovery technique; purifies sewage into clean water; and purifies industrial effluents into clean water. OBD-Plus ® is available in both powder and liquid/suspension forms.

Recycling Waste Water for Consumption

This can be effectively carried out through the use of environmental biotechnology.

Forum on Environmental Sustainability in Niger Delta

There is the Arati conference, exhibition and workshop on biotechnology, waste-to-wealth technology, business, energy, agriculture, innovations and the environment; which is coming up this week in Abuja, F.C.T.

Among the benefits of the forum is that OBD-Plus biotechnology can be used for environmental clean-up and also used to build eco-friendly sewage treatment plant and conveniences for host communities of oil producing area in the Niger Delta to improve the Environment and Sustainable development.

OBD-Plus biotechnology can be used to clean up oil polluted environments (soil and water) in the oil producing areas of the Niger Delta region thereby providing solution to one of the major problems facing Nigeria today.

There will also be production of organic fertiliser in each Local Government Area of the nation from organic refuses and hence improves the quality of life

The conference would serve as a guide in fashioning out positive roadmap in implementing the Niger-Delta master plan for the benefit of the nation. Also, there would be effective control and economic utilisation of water hyacinth in the West Africa sub-region. A Pollution-free Nigeria?

Nigeria can be free from environmental problems as much as possible, although it starts with the culture and attitude of people in reacting to their immediate environs.

When the environment is managed properly, this translates to sustainable development and improved quality of life.