The Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) says air pollution by Mopani Copper Mines in Mufulira has reduced by 50 percent.
ZEMA Public Relations Officer Ireen Chipili has told Qfm News in an interview that this follows the mine’s investment in the new state of the art acid plant which has is capturing large quantities of sulphur dioxide being emitted by mining activity.
Mrs Chipili says the agency will in two weeks time conduct a further assessment to ascertain how the acid plant is operating.
She says Zambia Environmental Management Agency has been working tirelessly to ensure that residents of Mufulira are protected from the pollution emanating from the mining company.
Mrs Chipili has also appealed to other mining companies to emulate Mopani Copper Mines and adhere to the protection of the environment from mine pollution.
I’ve been to the plant in Muf, the toxic fumes are terrible and they affect so many people in the nearby township, if indeed Mopani have reduced emmissions by 50% well done I say to both Zema and Mopani mgt.
Up to 0% would be great. Keep an eye on them and the pressure!
I thought they had reduced by 99%
Now I can grown my vegetables in my backyard garden, no excuse. Well done Mopani. Bench marking for solutions is the way to go for forward thinking companies around the world. I am sure there are other companies that may want to learn from what Mopani and other coys with a similar problem have done to overcome the problem.
But their target was 95% by end of 2013, I stand to be corrected, there’s more to be done!
Even the taste of our Mango fruit is distorted, I hope all this will be a thing of the past.
Is there any compensation plan for the lives lost due to sulphur choking and gassing which even their very own hospital has handled before?