Jornal de Biorremediação e Biodegradação

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Economic Development, at What Cost: The Case of Kabwe, Zambia

Luka Powanga

Lead and zinc mining operations in Kabwe, Zambia, ceased in 1994. However, the toxic waste/dump from almost a century of mining is still causing illness and death to many residents who unknowingly were exposed to poisonous waste over time. The mine owners deliberately kept information about the impact of lead exposure on health from employees and residents. Mine hospitals and clinics, which treated all mineworkers and their families, did not share the actual cause of the illnesses with the patients for fear of legal liabilities. Instead, once diagnosed, workers affected by lead were often transferred to divisions in different cities where they continued to suffer from the lead poisoning effects or died. This paper discusses Kabwe’s transformation to a vibrant city through mining at the expense of the residents’ health as the mines dumped toxic waste without the citizens’ knowledge, dexterous effects on the residents, and why these toxic dumps exist long after the mine closures. The paper includes recommendations to rehabilitate the city.