The Sunday News
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has said 28 Bulawayo companies which were issued with an ultimatum to desist from discharging toxic waste into water bodies last year had complied with the order.
EMA’s Bulawayo provincial environment manager Mr Discent Ndlovu said the companies had made significant strides towards addressing polluting water bodies through effluent discharge from their operations.
About 40 companies were ordered to install waste interceptors and pre-treatment plants to prevent the discharging of raw effluent into water bodies or face hefty fines from EMA or even closure.
This was after the Government set up an inter-ministerial team to investigate the massive pollution of rivers in Umguza district on the outskirts of Bulawayo.
“We had a problem where there were industries that were discharging effluent to the environment but it was mainly last year. Most of the industries are now discharging effluent into the local authority’s sewer although we still have a challenge that these sewers are not operating well. The sewers experience blockages on the way while some collapse and the sewage that contains toxic substances ends up in the environment,” Mr Ndlovu said.
According to the EMA Act, any person who discharges or applies any poison or toxic, noxious or obstructing matter, radioactive waste or other pollutants or permits any person to dump or discharge such matter into the aquatic environment in contravention of water pollution control standards shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 14 or $5 000, whichever is the greater, or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years, or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
“About 70 percent of the companies have complied and the remaining ones are moving in the right direction as they are now coming up with treatment plants and most of their effluent is starting to be discharged into the sewer system which is supposed to be the case.
“The issue is now left with the local authority that is yet to address the collapse of its sewers because this effluent has to go to the sewer treatment plant for further purification before being discharged into the environment,” Mr Ndlovu said.
According to a report by the inter-ministerial committee, companies that were found to be polluting Umguza River and its tributaries were Delta Beverages, Schweppes, Ingwebu Breweries, Colcom, Cold Storage Company, Tregers, Kango and United Refineries, among others.
Bulawayo City Council and industries were reportedly discharging 35 million litres of raw sewage and hazardous effluent directly into the Umguza catchment area per year.
The effluent has been linked to the incidence of serious child diseases and cancers in adults.
Tanneries discharge heavy and poisonous fluids and chemicals such as arsenic, chlorine, sodium chloride, organic solids, dyes and paints.
The substances are harmful to human, animal and aquatic life when discharged directly into the environment. Service stations, premises of transport operators, garages and car repair workshops were discharging oil, grease and silt into the environment, thereby polluting underground water.
