Zambian communities affected by a major chemical spill in February this year are demanding a total of $420 million in compensation from the Chinese state-owned company responsible for the disaster.
Two organizations representing the victims have sent formal letters of demand to Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, a subsidiary of China Nonferrous Mining Co. and the company accountable for the toxic spill.
The first group, represented by the law firm Malisa & Partners Legal Practitioners, requested compensation of up to $220 million to allow for the relocation of 47 families from the Kalusale community, located near the site of the incident. According to a released document, the funds would also cover medical tests and independent examinations, treatment, and the restoration of livelihoods.
The second group, represented by Malambo & Co. Advocates, demanded an immediate payment of $200 million to create an emergency fund for their clients, who also live mainly in the Kalusale area.
These demands come amid growing concerns that the scale of the leak was far greater than initially reported.
Toxic Spill in Zambia, One of the Country’s Worst Environmental Disasters
The spill occurred in February 2025, when a waste dam at Sino-Metals’ copper processing plant in Chambishi collapsed. The leak released around 50 million liters of corrosive, metal-laden sludge into a tributary of the Zambezi River.
The poisonous waste wiped out fish populations, damaged agriculture along the riverbanks, and poisoned crucial water sources.
Environmental groups have called the accident one of Zambia’s largest environmental crises, with long-term consequences expected to last decades.
Following the disaster, the United States issued a health advisory stating that water, soil, and even the air around Chambishi were contaminated with dangerous levels of acid and heavy metals. The U.S. Embassy restricted its staff from traveling to the affected region over safety concerns.
China also released a statement acknowledging the severity of the situation while defending its companies’ involvement in Zambia’s mining sector.
Zambian Government Downplayed the Risk
Cornelius Mweetwa, Minister of Information and Media, recently said the situation was “under control” and disputed claims that the spill posed significant health risks, despite strong evidence to the contrary. “The immediate danger to human, animal, and plant life has been averted at this point. All serious implications for public health, water safety, agriculture, and the environment have been contained; there is therefore no cause for alarm,” the minister said.
Sino-Metals hired the environmental firm Drizit Environmental (Pty) Ltd. to conduct an environmental impact assessment, which estimated that up to 1.5 million tons of waste were released during the incident.
After Drizit was dismissed for alleged contractual violations, Sino-Metals questioned the process used to determine the spill’s volume. Last Wednesday (27), the company issued a statement indicating that approximately 900,000 cubic meters of harmful waste remain in the environment.
Source: Business Insider Africa
