Black Gold: How sale of catalytic converters puts lives in danger

A SUV's catalytic converter is being removed at a salvage yard. [Getty Images]

According to Mutua, the dealers are connected, rich and powerful individuals who sell the mufflers to Al Shabaab terrorist group, or sell it back to car manufacturing companies so they can use it in making other vehicles.

In Uganda, Michael Wanyama experienced the effects of air pollution firsthand when his son was diagnosed with asthma. At the time, he and his family were staying near a busy and dusty area full of old vehicles. Several medical reports pointed to dirty air as a possible cause of frequent respiratory system problems.

"I moved my family to a cleaner environment, far from the road and with trees around, and the situation improved significantly in a matter of weeks. That's when it hit me that at least I could shield my family from air pollution, yet there are millions of parents who have no choice. I figured I could use my experience and expertise to make road transportation around us cleaner and safer if the local technical workforce made improvements," Wanyama says.

As an experienced automotive technician, Wanyama did some research work on how the air around them was being polluted. Besides the dust it turned out old vehicles were a major factor. He then took time to interact with hundreds of mechanics within Kampala and realised most of them lacked the knowledge and tools to maintain the integrity of emission control systems in vehicles including catalytic converters.

Wanyama then decided to register a nonprofit, Road Safety Initiative, which he directs, and he and his team began forming partnerships with local institutions and government through the Ministry of Transport.

This helped them gain a deeper understanding of the gap between formal and informal transportation business within Uganda (and Africa), they found out that there's a big disconnect. Working with Makerere University, they carried preliminary studies by organising several focus group discussions with mechanics, to better understand what they already know, challenges and concerns in line with their work.

"The results showed that most of them are unaware of the existence of emission control systems in the vehicles they tend to every day. Some confuse catalytic converters for exhaust sound silencers and deliberately remove them. Some do it maliciously because of the easy way to make money out of the platinum and other precious metal components in catalytic converters - with little knowledge of the ecological consequences," he explains.

Wanyama is now charged with training mechanics to understand the importance of the catalytic converters in vehicles, beyond only selling them for money.

"Our work is to sensitize them and show them the real value of cat converters and related emission controls, without the money part. They get to understand that once they modify or remove catalytic converters, they are affected too. We take them through practical steps on how to enhance and keep the safety and emissions systems functioning in vehicles," he explains.

In Nairobi, Maina is aware that removing the catalytic converters might mess up the environment, but says he is not sure exactly how, and says that many mechanics don't know that and hence the reason they remove it, besides getting the money from its sale.

"I am hearing this for the first time but you see, many of us did not go to school to study too much science about the parts of the vehicle. We learnt here what should be where, and how to fix it once it's worn out. This work doesn't pay much; so I will want the quick money given a chance so I can also fend for my family," he says.

Asked whether he wouldn't mind his and his children's health and safety from illnesses, Maina takes a deep breath and then says, "But the rising cost of living is harsher than the smoke we are inhaling here," he concludes.

Dominic Kirui is a freelance journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya