Zambian Government Rejects US Health Concerns Over Toxic Spill's Impact on Copperbelt Region

Zambia's government maintains that recent laboratory results indicate safe drinking water and no ongoing health risks after a significant spill, despite US embassy warnings about potential hazards.

The Zambian administration has responded vigorously to health alerts issued by the US embassy regarding alarming pollution in the Copperbelt mining area, specifically in Kitwe town. On Wednesday, the US embassy urged the immediate withdrawal of personnel from the region due to fears over “widespread contamination of water and soil” as a result of a spill from a tailings dam at the Sino-Metals mine, which occurred in February after heavy rains caused the structure to fail, contaminating the crucial Kafue River.

The US embassy highlighted new findings indicating the presence of hazardous chemicals and carcinogenic substances that posed health risks, including the potential for airborne contaminants from the mine tailings. In a swift rebuttal, Zambian government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa announced that laboratory analyses demonstrate that the pH levels in the affected areas have stabilized and are now within normal ranges, asserting the water is safe for consumption. He emphasized that there is no longer any significant danger to public health, agricultural practices, or the environment, urging the public not to panic.

Sino-Metals, a subsidiary of the Chinese government-owned China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group, previously pledged to address the environmental impacts and compensate local communities following the spill, which severely affected aquatic ecosystems and farmers relying on the river for irrigation. Zambian officials, including Green Economy Minister Mike Mposha, stated that the government has been actively monitoring the situation, continuously updating the populace, and compensating those affected.

Minister of Water Development Collins Nzovu added that ongoing water assessments confirm compliance with World Health Organization standards. Opposition leader Peter Sinkamba criticized the US embassy's delayed response, suggesting that the alert was influenced by geopolitical factors and questioned why the embassy had remained silent on historical lead poisoning issues associated with Western mining corporations in central Zambia.

Maggie Mapalo Mwape, executive director of the Centre for Environmental Justice, has called for urgent, concrete measures to address what she terms a national environmental crisis, asserting the need to safeguard the rights and health of Zambian citizens amid these troubling developments.