Lusaka: Zambia's government has announced plans to pursue further compensation for communities impacted by a toxic spill from a Chinese-owned copper mine, pending a thorough assessment. The spill, which occurred in February, involved the collapse of a dam at the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine, releasing highly acidic, mine-waste-laden water with toxic heavy metals into a key river that serves as a major source of drinking water.
According to Nam News Network, Sino-Metals has apologized for the incident and committed to compensating the victims. However, Zambia's Vice-President Mutale Nalumango emphasized that the compensation might need to be increased, asserting that the safety of Zambians is non-negotiable. A South Africa-based environmental company, Drizit, which was hired by Sino-Metals to assess the spill, reported that 1.5 million tonnes of toxic material were released during the disaster. Their investigation, which lasted two months, revealed that approximately 900,000 cubic meters of toxic tailings remained in the environment.
These materials contain hazardous levels of cyanide, arsenic, copper, zinc, lead, chromium, cadmium, and other pollutants, posing significant long-term health risks such as organ damage, birth defects, and cancer, as detailed in a report by Drizit last month. Sino-Metals contested the accuracy of Drizit's findings and announced the termination of their contract with the company due to alleged contractual breaches.
Further concerns were raised by a travel advisory from the Finnish government, which highlighted water samples containing 24 different heavy metals, 16 of which exceeded the World Health Organization's safety limits. In response, the US embassy issued a health alert, withdrawing personnel from Kitwe town and nearby areas due to fears of widespread contamination.
Despite these warnings, Zambia's government has downplayed the health threat, stating that there are no longer any serious public health implications. However, Human Rights Watch reported that the acid pollution resulted in the death of fish, damage to maize and groundnut crops, and livestock fatalities, severely impacting local farmers' livelihoods.
Sino-Metals had initially pledged $580,000 in compensation to the affected communities and promised environmental restoration. Vice-President Nalumango acknowledged this compensation but insisted that it should be based on a comprehensive and independent assessment. She stated that if the damage proves more extensive or lasting than initially understood, further compensation would be necessary and pursued.
Environmental activists informed HRW that affected community members continue to suffer from health issues such as headaches, coughing, and diarrhea, which have intensified since the spill. Some affected individuals claimed they had not received the promised compensation. In response, authorities have imposed a fishing ban on the Kafue River and deployed the air force and speedboats to apply lime to reduce acidity levels in the contaminated waterways.