The Anambra State Government has issued a stern warning to residents to cease the harmful practice of burning tyres on roads, emphasizing that violators will face arrest and prosecution.
In a joint press statement released on Friday, Commissioner for Environment Felix Odimegwu and Commissioner for Works and Housing Ifeanyi Okoma highlighted the environmental and infrastructural damage caused by tyre burning. They lamented that the state’s limited resources are strained by the need to repair roads damaged by such activities.
The statement revealed that tyre burning, often associated with festive celebrations, contributes to the development and expansion of potholes. “It has been observed that during festivities such as New Year and other celebrations, people resort to burning tyres and other materials on our roads and environment,” the statement noted.
The government also warned about the release of toxic pollutants, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter, during tyre burning. These substances, it said, are hazardous to plants, animals, aquatic life, and the overall environment.
“Burning tyres on tarred roads generates heat and fire that disintegrates the binding molecules in the tar, damaging the bitumen used in road construction,” the commissioners explained.
The statement further urged residents to refrain from the practice, stating, “Ndi Anambra are, therefore, urged to stop this harmful practice as it not only damages our environment but also accelerates infrastructural decay. While some people may have ignorantly engaged in this practice in the past, burning tyres on Anambra roads must stop immediately.”
The government assured that enforcement agencies under the Ministry of Environment are prepared to arrest and prosecute offenders to protect the state’s infrastructure and environment.
