EMA starts auditing mine dumps compliance

in February 2007 to adhere to Statutory Instrument 6.
The SI stipulates that all solid waste sites should have appropriate lining specific to the nature of environmental risk, whether industrial, domestic and mining or any type of solid waste.
Matabeleland South provincial qual­ity technician Mr Samson Nyimai said the department had since the beginning of the year been making follow ups with miners and other institutions involved in the disposal of solid waste.
He said at least a third of the miners in the province had complied with the regulations while others were still send­ing in designs and proposals.
He was addressing journalists during a media tour of Epoch and Fred Mines in Insiza district on Thursday last week.
Epoch Mine, a decommissioned nickel mine, reportedly has one of the best managed and engineered slime dimes in Zimbabwe while Fred Gold Mine has one of the worst managed dumps in the province. “We are saying environmental regu­lations should be very dynamic to cover up for the benefits of the present and future generations. Mining that is not regulated and does not follow the stipulated regula­tions tends to maximise profits at the expense of the environment.”
He said EMA had been making follow ups since January this year checking on compliance.
“The lining of dumps will ensure that there is no seepage of hazardous waste into the underground water resources that are very difficult to decontaminate once they are polluted.”
He said they had issued directives to the miners and local authorities to come up with proper structures and proposals on how they intend to comply with the new regulations.
“We have noted that a third of the mines around Matabeleland South have complied while others are still finding difficulties in adjusting to the new requirements.”