Lafarge Cement have since submitted their returns to the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) detailing their daily average concentration of dust emissions from their kiln stack operations while the agency is also carrying out its independent tests to ascertain the cement manufacturer’s compliance to an earlier order given last month by the agency following charges of discharging abnormal dust emissions detrimental to the environment, an official has said.
Speaking to EnviroZim today, EMA Environmental Education and Publicity Manager, Ms Amkela Sidange said despite the company having to submit their returns every fortnight to the agency, they will also be carrying out their own independent assessments as EMA.
Sibange however emphasised that it is premature to conclude whether or not Lafarge have complied fully with EMA’s recommendations or not as it is a process and not a once off event.
“Basically, from the ground level concentration tests that we have done, the particulate matter at ground level is within permissible levels, however, there are some maximum figures that we actually identified during these tests and we have indicated it to the company to work on reducing these maximum concentrations that we picked,” she said.
“The whole process involves Lafarge submitting their returns on their daily emissions every fortnight, while as EMA we also carry out our independent tests. We then have to triangulate what comes out of Lafarge and what we find out, and as of now we have completed what we call an air emission test on ground level concentration of particulate matter, meaning we have been trying to determine the level of concentration of ground level particulate matter,” Sidange added.
Ms Sidange said that the rigorous process involves picking up results from various points, match them up, triangulate them then get an average. Only after that can one realise that at least a standard emission has been reached and for it to be maintained.
Lafarge, had initially been issued an order in early August by the environmental agency to cease operations at its Harare plant on charges of emitting abnormal dust that was detrimental to the environment.
The ban was then lifted and operations allowed to resume subject to certain conditions being adhered to, including an order to submit, every two weeks a report detailing the daily average concentration of dust emissions from their kiln stack operations , including fall out dust at locations set up following engagement with the agency.
