In the heart of Zambia, the city of Kabwe stands as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unregulated mining. Children in the area continue to suffer severe health effects due to lead poisoning, a legacy of decades of toxic waste left behind by a former lead and zinc mine. Yet, instead of addressing this crisis, the Zambian government is permitting new hazardous mining and processing activities that exacerbate the health and environmental disaster.
The government’s issuance of mining and processing licenses to South African, Chinese, and local businesses has been widely criticized as a failure of governance. Human Rights Watch states that this decision is facilitating the continued exploitation of toxic lead waste. Companies have been extracting minerals from contaminated sites while ignoring Zambian environmental and mining laws. This reckless mining has exacerbated pollution, endangering thousands of residents—particularly children—who are highly vulnerable to lead poisoning.
Lead exposure can cause irreversible damage, including intellectual disabilities, organ failure, and even death. Pregnant women are also at high risk, with exposure leading to miscarriages and birth complications. Studies indicate that over 95 percent of children living near the former mine have dangerously high blood lead levels, with nearly half requiring urgent medical treatment.
Satellite imagery from 2024 reveals multiple waste piles scattered across Kabwe, many placed near processing companies. Without proper containment, these toxic mounds continue to poison soil, air, and water sources, intensifying the long-term health crisis.
The hazardous mining practices in Kabwe have also fueled serious labor rights violations. Small-scale and artisanal miners, including women and children, work under perilous conditions, exposed daily to toxic materials. Many of these miners, struggling to make a living, handle contaminated soil with bare hands, inhaling toxic dust without protective gear.
Read also: Mining and sustainability: Striking a balance for the future
Despite legal provisions allowing the government to sanction companies for unsafe working environments, no action has been taken against those operating in Kabwe. The Zambia Environmental Management Agency has failed to publish environmental impact assessments for these companies or enforce regulations that would suspend hazardous operations.
Businesses have been profiting from Kabwe’s toxic waste with little regard for the community’s well-being. Some companies have removed and relocated lead-contaminated waste piles, spreading contamination to new areas. Artisanal miners report selling extracted materials to Chinese-owned processing companies, highlighting an unchecked and hazardous supply chain.
Political interests further complicate the crisis. Local cooperatives involved in waste removal have alleged ties to ruling party leaders, raising concerns about financial gains overshadowing urgent public health needs. The government’s inaction, despite multiple announcements of committees to address the contamination, underscores a pattern of negligence and failure to protect citizens.
The path to remediation: What the government must do
Calling for justice without action is futile. The Zambian government must take decisive steps to mitigate the crisis in Kabwe. Immediate actions should include:
- Halting all hazardous mining activities in Kabwe until a full environmental assessment is conducted and strict regulatory measures are enforced.
- Launching an urgent cleanup program in collaboration with international organizations, environmental experts, and affected communities to decontaminate soil, water, and living areas.
- Providing medical assistance for affected residents, especially children, through free testing, treatment, and long-term health monitoring programs.
- Holding corporations accountable by enforcing strict environmental regulations, revoking licenses for non-compliant companies, and demanding remediation funding from past and present polluters.
- Supporting alternative livelihoods for artisanal miners, ensuring they have access to safer and more sustainable employment opportunities.
The government must prioritize public health over mining profits and only a full-scale remediation effort can protect future generations from the devastating effects of lead poisoning. The time to act is now—before more lives are irreversibly harmed by a crisis that has already gone on for far too long.
