The government has been urged to ban the production and sale of razor blades in the country, as it was affecting our environment
Emily Mwangi, an environmentalist and a Social officer, claimed that the decomposition of the blades was also affecting the environment
“It’s hard for them to rot and they end up in small pieces. Their rusting is also dangerous since if one comes to contact with them, one might end up with tetanus. The quality of blades that is currently being used has a short term life span and hence a lot of it is thrown away after use,” she added,
James Waikibia, an environmentalist, pointed out that the sharp blades were also found dumped in Gioto dumpsite.
“Many people rely on this area to earn a living. They collect used bottles and they might end up with serious injuries and cuts from these blades,” he added.
Medical Experts also want the Teachers Service Commission to ban razor blades from schools, saying the use of the blades in primary schools exposes children to the risk of contracting diseases that can be transmitted through blood.
The practitioners raised concern over the sharing of razor blades by pupils in cutting nails and sharpening of pencils in schools, a state that exposes pupils to risk of contracting diseases such as HIV and AIDS.
According to Valentine Nyachae, a medical practitioner in Nakuru, the blades should be banned from schools to minimize the risks.
“We discourage the use of razor blades and instead urge the schools to embrace the use of sharpeners,” she added.
They were speaking to the press on Monday during an education stakeholder’s workshop in Nakuru.