Indaba Yetsheboya—Ukusuka Ekubeni Umhlengi Kuya Ekubeni Umbulali Omkhulu

KUNGEKUDALA bonke abantu abahlala epaki lamacaravan eArizona, eU.S.A., kwadingeka ukuba bathengisele uhulumeni amakhaya abo nezimpahla futhi bathuthe. Konke okwakusepaki, kusukela kumacaravan kuya empahleni yasendlini nasezintweni zokudlala zabantwana, kwaqedwa ngokulandelana​—⁠kwafihlizwa kwagqitshwa ngaphansi kwephepha lokusefa, inhlabathi emagazugazu, nenhlabathi yangaphezulu. Kungani? Ingabe kwakungenxa yamakhemikhali anobuthi? Amanzi angalungile? Cha; ipaki lamacaravan laliphezu kwezinsalela zemboni endala yokusika uthayela. Yayingcoliswe itsheboya.

Leli bekuyikhulu leminyaka elinesixakaxaka ngetsheboya​—⁠ukwehla okumangalisayo ukusuka esiqongweni sokuba nodumo kuya emajukujukwini okubhekelwa phansi. Njengoba lake laba isithandwa sezimboni nomhlengi ohlonishwayo wabantu abangenakubalwa ekushisweni umlilo, itsheboya manje limangalelwa ngokuba nengxenye ekufeni kwamakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu. Itsheboya lithola inhlonipho engabazisayo yokuba yilona elisungule imboni yokwakha​—⁠hhayi kanye, kodwa kabili: okokuqala, emkhubeni othandwa embulungeni yonke wokulifaka ezakhiweni; okwesibili, ekuntantathekeni kokulikhipha futhi.

Izikole amahhovisi, nezakhiwo ezinkulu ziye zavalwa, okuye kwababiza imali enkulu abakhokha intela, abaqashisi, nabaqashile. Igagasi elikhulu lokumangalelwa liye lagcwalisa izimiso zomthetho. Futhi ukwesaba kuye kwashintsha ukuphila​—⁠konke ngenxa yetsheboya.

Kodwa liyini itsheboya? Livelaphi? Ingabe ngempela liyingozi kangako?

Imvelaphi Ependwe Yapendwa

Ngokuphambene nalokho abanye abangase bakucabange, itsheboya alilona nje elinye iphutha lezobuchwepheshe banamuhla, omunye umphumela onhlanhlathayo wokucabanga kwabantu abasebenza ezindlini zokucwaninga zezesayensi. Cha, itsheboya liyinto engokwemvelo embiwa phansi. Noma, ngokuthe ngqo ngokwengeziwe, itsheboya liwuhlobo lwezinto ezingokwemvelo​—⁠kunezinhlobo eziyisithupha, ngalunye luhluke kakhulu. Kodwa zonke zinezintanjana, futhi zonke azishi.

Abantu bebelokhu besebenzisa itsheboya izinkulungwane zeminyaka. Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kukaKristu, izigqila zaseFinland zazilihlanganisa nobumba futhi zinameka ngalo imifantu emaqhugwaneni azo ezingodo. AmaGreki asendulo ayelisebenzisela ukwakha izintambo zezibani. AmaRoma asendulo ayephotha izintambo zetsheboya enze izindwangu zokwenza amathawula, amanetha, ngisho nezigqoko zabesifazane. Lezindwangu kwakulula ukuzihlanza; wawumane uziphonse emlilweni ovuthayo futhi uzikhiphe sezihlanzekile futhi zimhlophe!

Esikhathini senkathi ephakathi uMbusi uCharlemagne kubikwa ukuthi wakholisa ezinye zezivakashi zakhe ezingamaqaba ngokuthi wayenamandla angaphezu kwawomuntu lapho ephonsa indwangu yetafula eyenziwe ngetsheboya emlilweni futhi eyikhipha ingahangukile. Abanye abathengisi abazijubayo benkathi ephakathi baze ngisho badayisa iziphambano ezenziwe ngetsheboya, becaphuna ukungashi kwazo njengobufakazi bokuthi zazakhiwe ngokhuni “lwesiphambano sangempela”!

Nokho, kuze kube ngekhulu le-19 leminyaka, itsheboya lalifana nje nento engavamile. Lokho kwashintsha ngenxa yenkathi yezimboni. Eminyakeni yawo-1800, izimboni zaqaphela ukuthi itsheboya lingaphezu nje kokuba yinto evimbela ukusha; futhi alikhumuzeli futhi liwuvimbela kalula umlilo wogesi. Itsheboya ngokushesha langena nasekusetshenzisweni ekufuleleni, amatile okufulela, amatile aphansi, okokuvimbela umlilo kagesi, okokuxuba usimende, amapayipi kasimende, iasphalt, amakhethini asesiteji semidlalo yeshashalazi, ngisho nezisefo. Ekugcineni, kwatholakala ezinye izindlela zokulisebenzisa ezingu-⁠3 000.

Kungekudala, itsheboya lasekela imboni echumayo yembulunga yonke. Kwatholakala izingqimba ezinkulu eziNtabeni iUral eSoviet Union, ezintabeni ezithiwa iAlps, entshonalanga Italy, eVermont eUnited States, naseNingizimu Afrika. Phakathi nawo-1970, umkhiqizo womhlaba wonke wetsheboya wawufinyelela amathani ayizigidi eziyisithupha ngonyaka.

Inkokhelo Enkulu Kakhulu

Nokho, lokhu kwenyukela ekubeni nodumo okusheshayo, kwakungahambi ngaphandle kwemisindo yeshwa. Eqinisweni, ukuhlehlela emuva emakhulwini angu-19 eminyaka adlule, isazi-mlando esingumRoma uPliny wayephawule ukuthi izigqila ezazisebenza ezimayini zetsheboya zazibonakala zinezinkinga zokuphefumula. Isixwayiso sakhe sasingesokuqala nje emazwini amaningi axwayisayo.

Ekuqaleni kwawo-1900, odokotela eYurophu baqala ukuphawula ukuthi izisebenzi ezisebenza ngetsheboya zazibulawa izifo zokungakwazi ukuphefumula. Ngo-1918 ezinye zezinkampani zomshuwalense kakade zasezenqaba ukudayisela izisebenzi zetsheboya umshuwalense, ziphawula ukuthi ukuphila kwazo kufushane ngokungajwayelekile. Ngawo-1930, ukuhlola kwakubonise ukuthi ukuthintana kakhulu netsheboya kungabulala ngempela. Izinhlayiya ezincane, ezifana nenaliti zezinhlobo eziningi zetsheboya zingaguduza zize ziyofika emaphashini, noma ngisho emgudwini wesisu, futhi zihlale lapho, ngezinye izikhathi zibangele izifo emashumini eminyaka kamuva. Okulandelayo ezinye zezifo ezivame kakhulu ezibangelwa itsheboya:

IAsbestosis. Isifo esijwayeleke kakhulu, ikakhulukazi phakathi kwalabo abaye basebenza isikhathi eside ngetsheboya. Ukulimala kwezinyama zephaphu lokho kancane kancane okubangela ukuqina kwephaphu futhi kuvale izikhala zomoya ephashini. Iasbestosis ibangela ukuphefumula kanzima futhi kwenze amaphaphu abe yizisulu zezifo ezifana nepneumonia nebronchitis, lezo nazo eziyingozi kakhulu kubantu abanalesifo. Iasbestosis ayelapheki, futhi ingabulala.

Umdlavuza Wamaphaphu. Nawo uvame kakhulu, ubulala abantu abaningi kuneasbestosis. Nokho, ngokuthakazelisayo, lapho ukusebenza ngetsheboya kuhlanganiswa nomkhuba wokubhema, ukuphathwa umdlavuza wamaphaphu kuyanda ngempela​—⁠kuphakame kakhulu kunokuba izingozi zokubhema nezokusebenza ngetsheboya bezihlangene.

IMesothelioma. Uhlobo lomdlavuza olubulala kakhulu kodwa olungavamile. Ihlasela untwentwesi olusesifubeni noma emgudwini wesisu. Ingaba khona ngisho nangemva kokusebenza isikhashana ngetsheboya, futhi ingavumbuka ngemva kokucasha iminyaka engu-⁠40.

NgokweInternational Journal of Health Services, itsheboya liyobangela ukufa ngaphambi kwesikhathi nokubuhlungu kwabantu abasukela emakhulwini amabili kuya kwamathathu ezinkulungwane phakathi kuka-1986 nonyaka ka-2000 eUnited States iyodwa. Uma lokho kuyiqiniso, kungacishe kulingane nenani lamasosha aseU.S. afa lapho impi ibambene ngezihluthu eMpini YeZwe II.

Ihaba?

Nokho, iningi lososayensi lithi kuye kwaba nokusabela ngokuphamazela okukhulu osongweni lwetsheboya. Bathi abanye ososayensi baye banezela ezingozini, okuye kwaholela “ekwesabeni izintanjana” okusakazekile, ukwesaba okuye kona kakhulu kunokuba kulungise.

Ngokwesibonelo, uBrooke Mossman, eYunivesithi yeKolishi Lezokwelapha LaseVermont, wahola iqembu lososayensi ekubhaleni umbiko owavela ephephabhukwini iScience. UMossman nozakwabo bakhala ngesamba semali esichithwa ekususweni kwetsheboya ezakhiweni zamahhovisi nezikole, ngokuvamile okwenzelwa ukuvimbela amazinga engozi aphansi kangangokuthi, bathi awalimazi.

Eqinisweni, bathi kwezinye izakhiwo ezihlelelwe ukususwa kwetsheboya empeleni kunetsheboya elincane elisemoyeni ngaphakathi kunangaphandle! Kucashunwa izibalo ezibonisa ukuthi abantwana basengozini enkulu kakhulu lapho begibela amabhayisikili noma yokushaywa umbani kunasemazingeni aphansi kanjalo etsheboya. Ngaphandle kwalokho, okuningi ukukhishwa kwetsheboya kuye kwenziwa ngokuxhamazela nangobudlabha, eqinisweni kwenyusa amazinga etsheboya ezakhiweni ngokushunqisa uthuli. Ezimweni ezinjalo bekuyoba okuphephe ngokwengeziwe ukumane liyekwe linjalo futhi livalwe itsheboya.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba amazwe amaningi aseYurophu eqaphela emithethweni yawo emayelana netsheboya, akuzona zonke izinhlobo zalokhu ezinezintanjana ezifana nenaliti. Itsheboya okuthiwa yichrysotile lenziwe ngezintanjana ezinjana ezigoqene ezibhajwa kalula futhi zikhishwe ngamaphaphu. Itsheboya elithi malibe ngamaphesenti angu-95 elikhiqizwa emhlabeni jikelele elaloluhlobo lwechrysotile. Itsheboya okuthiwa iamphibole, uhlobo olubonakala lubangela izehlakalo eziningi zemesothelioma, kuyethukela lusetshenzisiwe.

UMossman nozakwabo futhi baphikisa ‘imfundiso yentanjana eyodwa’​—⁠umbono wokuthi ngisho nentanjana eyodwa yetsheboya ingabulala. Kakade, itsheboya livela ngokwemvelo. Ngokomhleli kamagazini iScience, sonke sihogela cishe izintanjana eziyisigidi zetsheboya unyaka ngamunye!

Nakuba kunjalo, lamaphuzu awakhulumeli bonke ososayensi. UDkt. Irving J. Selikoff, ngo-1964 owenza ingqophamlando yokuhlola ngezingozi zetsheboya, ugcizelela ngokuthi amazinga aphansi okuchayeka kutsheboya ngempela angaba yingozi. Ososayensi abaningi bayamvumela. Bakhathazeke kakhulu ngezakhiwo zezikole. Ukumane ukale ubungako betsheboya elisemoyeni ezakhiweni ezinjalo, bathi akusebenzi, njengoba kuyimithombo ethile kuphela yetsheboya eyingozi, njengamapayipi ambozwe ngezinto ezivimbela amandla kagesi nobhayela. Izingane ezithanda ukwazi nezigangile ngokunokwenzeka zingayithola futhi ziyiphazamise imithombo enjalo; abagadi babantwana nabahlanzi bangase bahlale bechayekile.

Ososayensi futhi bayaphikisana ngezingozi zetsheboya okuthiwa ichrysotile. Ingqungquthela yezwe lonke yososayensi ekwindla lika-1990 yasabela embikweni kaMossman weScience ngokugomela ngokuthi ichrysotile iyingozi njengezinye nje izinhlobo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abanye baye bathi ososayensi abanciphisa izingozi zetsheboya bamane basetshenziswa yizimboni zetsheboya, ezibakhokhelayo abanye babo ukuze bayofakaza enkantolo.

Isici Sobugovu

Ukumangalelwa okunjalo uma kuyiqiniso, kuveza abamangalelwa njengabanobugovu. Nokho, iqiniso liwukuthi, ubugovu buyimbangela emlandweni wetsheboya kulelikhulu leminyaka.

Imboni yetsheboya iye yasolwa ngobugovu obukhulu ngokugcina izisebenzi zingazi ngezingozi zokuchayeka kutsheboya. Izinqumo eziningi zenkantolo ziye zacabangela izimali ezingamadameshe zokujezisa abakhiqizi betsheboya ngokwehluleka ukuqaphelisa abaqashwa ngezingozi ababebhekene nazo. Futhi naphezu kwaso sonke lesiphithiphithi, izinkampani zetsheboya zisathumela imikhiqizo yazo emazweni angathuthukile angakawuvali lomkhiqizo​—⁠nalapho izisebenzi zasemafekthri zingavikelwa kahle ngaso sonke isikhathi kulo.

Ukumangalelwa kokuba nobugovu kuye futhi kwenziwa ngokumelene nemboni ekhipha itsheboya. Abagxeki bakhala ngezindleko ezinkulu, lezo ngokuvamile ezisukela emaRandini angu-625 kuya kwangu-​1 250 ngemitha-skwele, okubiza ngokuphindwe kayikhulu ngaphezu kwalokho okukubizayo ukufaka itsheboya ekuqaleni. Kunemibiko futhi yokonakala. Amafemu amaningi akhipha itsheboya aye abhadanywa efumbathisa izikhulu zikahulumeni ukuze azenze zingazinaki izindlela eziyingozi nezingekho emthethweni zokukhipha nokulahla itsheboya. Abaqashisi abonakele baye baziwa ukuthi baqasha amafemu anganaki ukuba akhiphe itsheboya ngendlela engeyiyo ukuze nje bonge imali. Izisebenzi abaziqashayo ngokuvamile azinalwazi ngezingozi zomsebenzi wazo, azikugqoki okokuvikela, futhi ziye zaziwa ukuthi zilahla itsheboya ngendlela engekho emthethweni​—⁠ngisho nasemapaki.

Itsheboya Nawe

Nakuba kunjalo, kusenethemba kulendaba engathembisi. Ukuqaphela izingozi eziningana zetsheboya kuyanda emhlabeni wonke. Ohulumeni abaningi banciphisa ukusetshenziswa kwetsheboya noma okungenani baqikelela ukuba izisebenzi ezisebenza ngalo zigqoke okokuvikela.

Kuthiwani uma ucabanga ukuthi kunetsheboya ekhaya lakho noma lapho usebenza khona? Okokuqala, ukuhlola okwenzelwa ezindlini zokucwaninga zezesayensi kuphela okungasho ngokuqinisekile ukuthi itsheboya ngempela yini noma cha. Okwesibili, musa ukwethuka. Ukwethuka kuye kwaholela abanye ekubeni bazame ukuzikhiphela bona itsheboya, lokho ngokuvamile okungekho emthethweni futhi okuyingozi kakhulu kunokuliyeka njengoba linjalo. Thola iseluleko sochwepheshe ngaphambi kokuba uthathe noma isiphi isinyathelo. Ifemu enedumela elihle kuphela, negunyaziwe okumelwe ivunyelwe ukukhipha itsheboya noma ukulivala, kuye ngokuthi isimo sidingani.

Uma kungekho ongakwenza kodwa kumelwe usebenze ngetsheboya, ukugqoka okokuvikela kubaluleke kakhulu, njengoba nje kunjalo nangokuligcina limanzi ukuze izintanjana zingandizi​—⁠nakuba lokhu kungabonakala kwenza izinto zibe nzima. Okunye ukuhlolwa kwezisebenzi ezingu-405 eGibithe kwathola ukuthi amaphesenti angu-31,4 kuphela azo ayegqoka izinto zazo zokuvikela lapho zisebenza ngetsheboya.

Okokugcina, musa ukubhema! Ekuhloleni kwaseU.S., amaphesenti angu-34 ezisebenzi zetsheboya atholakala engabantu ababhemayo, naphezu kokukhathazeka kwazo okukhulu ngomdlavuza naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi ababhemayo basengozini yokuthola izifo ezibangelwa itsheboya ngokuphindwe ka-⁠50.

Njengoba kulindelekile, ochwepheshe namanje basaphikisana ngokuthi liyingozi kangakanani ngempela itsheboya nanokuthi likhona yini izinga lawo elilondekile. Mhlawumbe bazoqhubeka bephikisana, ngokucasuka bejikijelana ngamanani nangokuhlola, kuze kube wusuku lapho umuntu ekugcineni eyoyeka ‘ukubhubhisa umhlaba’ nokusebenzisa kabi imikhiqizo yawo. (IsAmbulo 11:​18) Kodwa kuze kube yilesosikhathi, mhlawumbe inkambo yokuhlakanipha iwukwenza iphutha ngasohlangothini oluphephile.

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

Isimo okuvame ukuba yiso enkampanini yetsheboya, kuhlanganise nezindawo zokuvimbela ukonakalisa. Ukusuka kwesokudla ukuya kwesokunxele: 1. indawo yokusebenzela; 2. igumbi lemishini; 3. indawo yomoya; 4. ishawa; 5. indawo yomoya; 6. igumbi lezinto ezihlanzekile