ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY WARNS LAFARGE CEMENT

French cement manufacturing giant, Lafarge Zambia has been ordered to effect restrictive measures against repeated cases of environmental pollution.

The Zambia Environmental Management Agency has since issued a Restoration Order against the company, in accordance with section 105 of the Environmental Management Act No. 12 of 2011.

Lafarge Cement Zambia has been cited for indiscriminate discharge of pollutants, into the environment, in concentrations that constitute a risk to human health, at its Chilanga plant.

The Environmental Agency says its carried out an inspection at the respective cement plant, whose findings were unprecedented levels of dust emissions into the environment.

And according to the order, Lafarge Cement Zambia has 28 days, to among others, install appropriate dust abatement measures and increase the emissions monitoring frequency.

Lafarge Cement will also have to indefinitely submit status reports every two weeks, says Irene Chipili, the Environmental Agency’s Principal Information and Communication Officer.