The Zambian government has dismissed claims of dangerous pollution in the Copperbelt mining region, following safety concerns raised by the US embassy.
On Wednesday, the US embassy issued a health alert, ordering the immediate withdrawal of its personnel in Kitwe town and nearby areas due to concerns of “widespread contamination of water and soil” linked to a February spill at the Sino-Metals mine.
The spill happened when a tailings dam, used to store toxic waste and heavy metals, collapsed into the Kafue River, a key drinking water source, following heavy rain.
The US embassy said there was new information that showed “the extent of hazardous and carcinogenic substances”.
It warned that beyond the “contaminated water and soil, contaminants from the spilled mine tailings may also become airborne, posing a health threat if inhaled”.
Zambia’s government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa hit back, saying the “laboratory results show that PH levels have returned to normal” in the area and the water was safe to drink.
Mweetwa said there were no longer any serious implications for public health, water safety, agriculture or the environment.
“There is, therefore, absolutely no need to press the ‘panic button’ today to alarm the nation and the international community.”
Sino-Metals Leach Zambia mine is a subsidiary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group, which is owned by the Chinese government.
The BBC has asked Sino-Metals for comment.
At the time of the spill, Sino-Metals pledged to compensate the affected communities and restore the environment.
The spill affected aquatic life as well as farmers who use the water to irrigate their crops.
Green Economy Minister Mike Mposha said the government had been proactive since February and was continuing to update the public, while affected communities have been compensated.
Minister of Water Development Collins Nzovu said the government has been constantly testing the water, and that it met World Health Organization standards.
Opposition Green Party leader Peter Sinkamba said the US embassy’s health alert was part of geopolitics.
He wondered why it had taken the embassy since February to issue the alert, while accusing it of keeping quiet on the lead poisoning in central Zambia that partly traces its roots to Western mining giants.
Centre for Environment Justice executive director Maggie Mapalo Mwape told the BBC the pollution was a national disaster that demands immediate and concrete action to mitigate its effects and prevent future occurrences.
She called for decisive action to address this environmental crisis and protect the rights and wellbeing of Zambian citizens.