Africa Daily
Africa Daily
How is Zambia dealing with lead contamination?
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April 3, 2025
21 minutes
Available for over a year
“It has made nearly every person, every mother, to have their child contaminated, because the lead levels are so rampant,” says Cornelius Katiti, a father from Kabwe, Zambia, whose three children are affected by lead poisoning.
For decades, the town has struggled with remediating 6.4 million tonnes of toxic lead waste left behind by a former mine. A Human Rights Watch report shows 95% of children in affected areas of Kabwe have dangerously high lead levels. Cornelius, along with many others in the community, is left asking: who is responsible for the clean-up?
In today's episode, Alan Kasujja explores the ongoing environmental and health impacts of mining with Cornelius, an environmental chemist , and an environmental consultant.