The danger of not knowing

‘Are you going somewhere exotic this week’ 

2018, someone asked me in a regular week, knowing, at that time of my life I am a frequent traveller and doing audits all over Europe.

I was thinking about his remark,

driving into Moerdijk industrial area in the Netherlands, to visit a pack supplier of plastic big bags. 

Surely it cannot get any more exotic than this?!

The surroundings…...absolutely nothing 

to see. Nothing ever happens here, 

it so boring.…

No concerns on any pollution

coming out of this area. All concrete and empty space. I can report back” No abnormalities observed.” 

As I regularly do as auditor.

The thing is- the danger is most of the times what we cannot observe. 

And what we have no knowledge about. 

When there is absolutely nothing, one needs to ask further. 

And ´exotic´ for some, is ´boring´ to others.

I said to my host ´you have

no neighbour´s´ and thinking on the danger of pollution coming from nearby would be limited or none. Important for factories of food packaging as pack materials are prone to absorb scent.´ it is all empty space and concrete. ´

‘Yes…that is because everything has been 

burnt down’.

WHAT?!  

‘The neighboring factories and 

warehouses, next to us and also the street across…all BURNT DOWN. 

Look here you see.’ 

See picture I received.on the spot.

Oops