For the residents of Douma, the daily struggle to survive involves not just avoiding the violence that has ravaged the Syrian town, but laboring to obtain scarce basic commodities Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Top News @Reuters, 8 May 2017
Besieged Syrians make fuel from plastic waste: Bassam Khabieh / Mark Hanrahan, Reuters, 8 May 2017
For residents of besieged Douma, the daily struggle to
survive involves not just avoiding the violence that has ravaged the
Syrian town, but labouring to obtain scarce basic commodities.
Facing a shortage of fuel to run generators
and machinery due to the siege, former construction worker Abu Kassem
set up a makeshift refinery to extract fuel from plastic waste through a
process of burning them and condensing the released gas.
It is a gruelling process.
"There is no pleasure in our work. It is very dangerous
and requires a lot of caution. When I see that the equipment's
situation is stable, I can take a little rest and smoke the hookah,"
said Abu Fahad, 28, one of Abu Kassem's sons.
The workshop - which employs Kassem's three sons
and other relatives - has operated for some three and a half years,
since government forces began their siege of rebel-held eastern Ghouta, a
district on the outskirts of the Syrian capital where Douma is located.
As the siege intensified, severe fuel shortages
began to hamper agriculture, transport and other activities, so Abu
Kassem began searching for a way around the problem.
Using methods learned from instructional videos posted
on the internet, the family takes plastic bottles, rubble from damaged
buildings, plastic from cooking utensils, water and even sewage pipes to
produce liquid and gas fuels.
The liquid is refined into gasoline, diesel and
benzene fuels, and the gasses obtained are sold for domestic and
commercial use in place of natural gas.
The fuels are then sold to customers, including
bakeries, farmers who need fuel to power water pumps and consumers for
use in cars and motorcycles.
For those who toil in the workshop, the
environment leaves much to be desired. Smoke billows from fires and
generators, and the fumes from burning plastic hang ever-present in the
air.
"Working here is very tiring, but we feel that we
are providing a great service to people. I have been working here for a
short time and have begun to adapt to the atmosphere here," said Abu
Ahmed, 28, another of the workers.
The workshop operates 15 hours a day, six days a week,
and workers' only protection against the effects of inhaling the
polluted air caused by burning plastic is advice from some to drink two
cups of milk a day to try to offset the effects. The efficacy of the
treatment is uncertain.
A day's work will see 800 kg to 1,000 kg of plastic
used in the workshop, where 100 kg of plastic makes approximately 85
litres of fuel.
A litre of benzene fuel sells for 2,200 Syrian pound ($4.70), and a litre of diesel for 2,000 Syrian pounds.
Local residents are grateful.
"When
the siege began on eastern Ghouta at the end of 2013 fuel prices rose
madly and we were no longer able to water crops as in the past," Abu
Firas, 33, an agricultural worker in the district told Reuters. "When we
started producing local fuel, and that water engines could be powered
by this fuel, ... life returned to agricultural land."
Smoke billows from fires and generators, and the fumes from burning plastic hang ever-present in the air. Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Pictures, 8 May 2017
"When I see that the equipment's
situation is stable, I can take a little rest and smoke the hookah,"
said Abu Fahad. Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Pictures, 8 May 2017
For those who toil in the workshop, the
environment leaves much to be desired. Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Pictures, 8 May 2017
'There is no pleasure in our work. It is very dangerous and requires a lot of caution.' said Abu Fahad Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Pictures, 8 May 2017
The family takes plastic bottles, rubble from damaged buildings, plastic from cooking utensils, water and even sewage pipes to produce liquid and gas fuels. Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Pictures, 8 May 2017
The liquid is refined into gasoline, diesel and
benzene fuels, and the gasses obtained are sold for domestic and
commercial use in place of natural gas. Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Pictures, 8 May 2017
The workshop operates 15 hours a day, six days a week, and workers' only protection against the effects of inhaling the polluted air caused by burning plastic is advice from some to drink two cups of milk a day to try to offset the effects. The efficacy of the treatment is uncertain. Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Pictures @reuterspictures, 8 May 2017
The workshop operates 15 hours a day, six days a week,
and workers' only protection against the effects of inhaling the
polluted air caused by burning plastic is advice from some to drink two
cups of milk a day to try to offset the effects. The efficacy of the
treatment is uncertain. Photo @BassamKhabieh: image via Reuters Pictures @reuterspictures, 8 May 2017
#Douma, Syria 1 April 2017: image via Bassam Khabieh @BassamKhabieh, 3 April 2017
Schoolchildren walk in the rebel held besieged #Douma neighbourhood of #Damascus, #Syria March 8, 2017. #REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh: image via Bassam Khabieh @BassamKhabieh, 8 March 2017
A
man walks inside a damaged school in besieged city of #Douma, in
eastern #Damascus, #Syria March 3, 2017. #REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh: image via Bassam Khabieh @BassamKhabieh, 3 March 2017
A damaged classroom is pictured in besieged #Douma, in eastern #Damascus suburb of #Ghouta, Syria March 2, 2017. #REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh: image via Bassam Khabieh @BassamKhabieh, 3 March 2017
A damaged model of planets is pictured inside a damaged school in #Douma, near #Damascus, #Syria March 2, 2017 #REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh: image via Bassam Khabieh @BassamKhabieh, 3 March 2017
Ferry across the Tigris
A child cries onboard a
ferry to cross the Tigris River, Friday, May 5, 2017. Mosul residents
are returning from the west to the liberated eastern part of the city.
The government fight against Islamic State fighters for Mosul's west has
been slow and deadly to Iraqi forces and civilians caught in the
crossfire.: photo by Bram Janssen/AP, 5 May 2017
Running from the evil
#Venezuela Protesters protect themselves behind a shield in clashes
with police during a march against Maduro in #Caracas By @jbarreto1974: image via Photojournalism @photojournalink, 8 May 2017
Love (Dreaming the Faces of Death)
In the battle to achieve success with a fickle buying public
Through the creation of a free market artistic product
The only purpose of which is to express feelings
The main weapon is the concentration of effects
The forcing and piling up of events and layers
Loads the product with a dense opaque texture
At once shielding the emptiness at the core from view
And deceiving the credulous as to what's
Actually going on here in the toxic fuming workshop
Through the creation of a free market artistic product
The only purpose of which is to express feelings
The main weapon is the concentration of effects
The forcing and piling up of events and layers
Loads the product with a dense opaque texture
At once shielding the emptiness at the core from view
And deceiving the credulous as to what's
Actually going on here in the toxic fuming workshop
Dark Side Kappa. Bangkok Noir..: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 1 April 2017
Dark Side Kappa. Bangkok Noir..: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 1 April 2017
Dark Side Kappa. Bangkok Noir..: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 1 April 2017
Eye(s).: photo by Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet, 6 May 2017
Eye(s).: photo by Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet, 6 May 2017
Eye(s).: photo by Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet, 6 May 2017
Yellow Stop Line. And some stopmotion.: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 13 April 2017
Yellow Stop Line. And some stopmotion.: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 13 April 2017
Yellow Stop Line. And some stopmotion.: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 13 April 2017
Kaeden: photo by Boingy Man, 11 March 2017
Kaeden: photo by Boingy Man, 11 March 2017
Kaeden: photo by Boingy Man, 11 March 2017
Dreaming: photo by Job Jetwichan Chaowadee, 5 May 2017
Dreaming: photo by Job Jetwichan Chaowadee, 5 May 2017
Dreaming: photo by Job Jetwichan Chaowadee, 5 May 2017
[Untitled, Bangkok]: photo by Larry H., 5 May 2017
[Untitled, Chengdu]: photo by Larry H., 17 April 2015
Yuigahama, Kamakura, May 2012: photo by Shin Noguchi, 19 May 2012
#24.1 kids [Bangkok]: photo by Issaret Chalermsopone, 27 January 2017
#24.1 kids [Bangkok]: photo by Issaret Chalermsopone, 27 January 2017
#24.1 kids [Bangkok]: photo by Issaret Chalermsopone, 27 January 2017
San Francisco, CA.: photo by Boingy Man, 23 July 2016
San Francisco, CA.: photo by Boingy Man, 23 July 2016
San Francisco, CA.: photo by Boingy Man, 23 July 2016
Girl [Krabi Island, Thailand]: photo by Issaret Chalermsopone, 30 September 2016
Girl [Krabi Island, Thailand]: photo by Issaret Chalermsopone, 30 September 2016
Girl [Krabi Island, Thailand]: photo by Issaret Chalermsopone, 30 September 2016
[Untitled]: photo by Kanrapee Chokpaiboon, 8 March 2017
[Untitled]: photo by Kanrapee Chokpaiboon, 8 March 2017
[Untitled]: photo by Kanrapee Chokpaiboon, 8 March 2017
[Untitled, Dhaka]: photo by Muhamad Imam Hasan, 26 March 2017
Super Barber Man [Bangkok]. The contrast of Thailand's sun can cast some extreme shadows sometimes.: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 8 March 2017
Super Barber Man [Bangkok]. The contrast of Thailand's sun can cast some extreme shadows sometimes.: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 8 March 2017
Super Barber Man [Bangkok]. The contrast of Thailand's sun can cast some extreme shadows sometimes.: photo by Tananwad Wanavit, 8 March 2017
Exit Options [Bangkok]: photo by Tananwad Wanavit,1 May 2017
Exit Options [Bangkok]: photo by Tananwad Wanavit,1 May 2017
Exit Options [Bangkok]: photo by Tananwad Wanavit,1 May 2017
2016-10-21 12.12.16 3: photo by torsak panjasuparak, 30 October 2016
2016-10-21 12.12.16 3: photo by torsak panjasuparak, 30 October 2016
2016-10-21 12.12.16 3: photo by torsak panjasuparak, 30 October 2016
3 comments:
"Bang, bang--you're dead!" (The photobug never knew what hit him.)
Turnabout should be fair play, don't you think, Vassilis?
Sure do but I don't see the Canonwielder agreeing too. :)
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