Zambia faces environmental crises from mining pollution

Zambia is grappling with significant environmental and public health challenges linked to mining activities. In the town of Kabwe, an African Union child-rights body is considering a complaint against the government regarding toxic lead contamination. Decades of pollution from a former lead and zinc mine have left approximately 6.4 million tonnes of uncovered waste, which threatens nearby communities with lead-bearing dust. Research suggests that over 95 percent of children living near the former mine have elevated blood-lead levels, with up to 200,000 people potentially exposed.

Separately, the Zambian government has ordered Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to assess its infrastructure and clean up pollution in the Kafue River. Residents reported changes in the river’s color, taste, and smell following a leak from a tailings leach plant and a dam overflow. This follows a previous incident in February 2025 involving Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, which released 50 million liters of toxic sludge into a tributary, killing fish and damaging crops. The Kafue River has been identified by the Water Resources Management Authority as the country’s most polluted water body.