Zambian's authorities dismiss claims of Chinese waste spill

(MENAFN) The Zambian government has dismissed a recent warning issued by a US diplomatic mission regarding toxic pollution following a waste spill from a Chinese-run mining operation that affected a major local waterway earlier this year.

According to a government spokesperson, the aftermath of the dam breach at Sino Metals Leach Zambia, which released millions of gallons of acidic waste, has been under control for several months.

The US mission had issued a health advisory urging its staff to evacuate the Kitwe region, citing environmental data suggesting the presence of “hazardous and carcinogenic substances,” including arsenic, cyanide, uranium, and other heavy metals, warning of both immediate and long-term health dangers.

During a press briefing, the government official said that water acidity levels had returned to safe norms. “Concentrations of heavy metals are steadily decreasing, which means that the immediate danger to human, animal and plant life has been averted,” he explained, adding there was no cause for public alarm or international concern.

Out of 200 water samples tested so far, 37 met safety criteria, with the remaining samples still being analyzed. No fatalities have been linked to the pollution incident, he added.

Local reports have documented contamination spreading over more than 100 kilometers, with the spill causing fish and livestock deaths and sparking anxiety among residents and environmental advocates.

The mining company, owned by Chinese interests, has reportedly cooperated fully with national authorities and is financing remediation measures.

This event recalls a longstanding environmental health crisis associated with Zambia’s Kabwe mine, where lead contamination impacted over 100,000 individuals.

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