Turki Al-Dakheel

Okaz



A FEW days ago, some young Saudis posted a documentary titled “Phosphine” on YouTube. The film, directed by novice Abdurahman Sandagji, speaks about the deadly chemical aluminum phosphide, which produces the highly toxic phosphine gas. The chemical, which is commonly available in the market as a pesticide, is known for its toxicity to humans and animals.



The film recounts the story of three families who lost their children to the deadly chemical. The deaths occurred when the families’ neighbors used the chemical to rid their homes of rodents. No one had imagined that attempts to kill rodents would instead prove fatal to children in the neighborhood. If only a few fumigation tablets of this chemical are placed at the entrance of a building, it may lead to the death of residents in the building. Most shocking of all, anyone who wants to get their hands on this chemical can simply go to a store that sells pesticides and buy hundreds of phosphide tablets. No questions asked.



Countless people, including me, were unaware of the dangers of this chemical until watching this film and I am thankful to those who made the film for making us wise. The film asks a question, which everyone who watched it wants an answer to: Have the official bodies taken any decisive measures to stop the sale of this toxic chemical?



I repeat what my friend Saud Kateb says in the film: Business interests should not be protected if even a single child’s life is put in danger. If it has been proved that children died because of this toxic chemical, then it should be banned from being imported into the Kingdom.



I did not see any comments from anyone about this film except from Minister of Commerce and Industry Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, who, in his tweet, thanked those who worked on it. The minister urged all people to contact the ministry’s toll free number 800-124-1616 if they have any information about stores selling the chemical.



He also unveiled the ministry’s drive to raid all pesticide shops to seize the chemical and take written undertakings from store owners that they will not attempt to sell this deadly chemical. All of this is fine but it is not sufficient and it is imperative to exert all-out efforts in combating this killer chemical.