INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

POLLUTION CONTROL AND MITIGATION (ICE0294)

An assignment submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for

the BA Degree in Environmental Management System

Student details
Name: Purity Nanyangwe
SIN: 2104301360
Lecturer’s Name: Mr. Njobvu
Year: 4nd Year (Seventh semester)
Due date: 4th October, 2024
Assignment 1
 INTRODUCTION

Pollutants in the environment have a massive effect on human/ animal health because they
compromise the quality of resources on which our survival depends. However, legal and
regulatory frameworks are essential for preventing and mitigating environmental pollution
because they establish standards and guidelines that ensure adherence to safe practices. They also
hold polluters accountable for environmental damage (Ministry Of Tourism, Environment and
Natural Resources, 2005).

DISCUSSION

The Environmental policy

The President of Zambia launched the National Policy on the Environment in June 2009,
replacing the outdated National Environmental Action Plan of 1994. The Policy’s main aim is to
promote sustainable environmental protection. It provides a framework for the management of
the environment and natural resources in order to protect future generations. The Policy hopes to
address some of the main challenges facing Zambia, such as climate change, deforestation, land
degradation, loss of biological diversity, wildlife depletion and environmental pollution
(Environmental Council of Zambia, 1997).

The Environmental Management Act

The Environmental Management Act, No. 12 of 2011, states the principles upon which it is
founded as follows:

 The environment is the common heritage of both present and future generations.
 Adverse effects shall be prevented and minimised through long-term integrated planning
and the coordination, integration and cooperation of efforts that consider the entire
environment as a whole entity.
 The precautionary principle.
 The polluter pays principle.
  Equitable access to environmental resources shall be promoted and the functional
integrity of ecosystems shall be taken into account to ensure the sustainability of the
ecosystems and prevent adverse effects.
 People shall be involved in the development of policies, plans and programmes for
environmental management.
 Citizens shall have access to environmental information to enable them to make informed
personal choices that encourage improved performance by industry and the government.
 The generation of waste should be minimised, wherever practical, and waste should, in
order of priority, be reused, recycled, recovered and disposed of safely in a manner that
avoids adverse effects.
 The environment is vital to people’s livelihoods and should be used sustainably in order
to achieve poverty reduction and socio-economic development.
 Non-renewable natural resources shall be used prudently, taking into account the needs of
the present and future generations.

Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations

In terms of sections 6 and 96 of the 1990 EPPCA, the EIA process was formalised in the
Environmental Protection and Pollution Control (Environmental Impact Assessment)
Regulations, which were promulgated through Statutory Instrument No. 28 of 1997. Although
the 2011 EMA repeals the 1990 EPPCA, the Regulations are still being enforced. However,
section 30 of the EMA makes provision for the Minister, on the advice of ZEMA, to promulgate
new Regulations relating to the administration and enforcement of both strategic environmental
assessments and EIAs. The following Regulations, which were promulgated in terms of the
EPPCA, have been repealed by the Environmental Management (Licensing) Regulations SI. No.
112 of 2013 (Chapman and Walmsley, 2003):

 The Water Pollution Control (Effluent and Waste Water) Regulations, 1993;
 The Air Pollution Control (Licensing and Emission Standards) Regulations, 1996;
 The Waste Management (Transporters of Waste/Operation of Waste Disposal Sites)
Regulations, 1993;
 The Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, 2001;
 The Pesticides and Toxic Substances Regulations, 1994; and
  The Ozone-Depleting Substances Regulations, 2000.

The Environmental Management (Licensing) Regulations SI. No. 112 of 2013 regulates all
activities relating to:

 Air and water pollution

 Waste management
 Hazardous waste
 Pesticides and toxic substances
 Ozone depleting substances.

The seventeen Schedules attached to the Regulations, provide application forms, proforma
licences, notifications, emission limits, water pollution standards, lists of wastes and guidance on
handling, storage, use, treatment and disposal of all types of hazardous wastes, ozone depleting
substances, pesticides and toxic substances, as well as the prescribed fees (Zambia – Draft For
Consultation, 2019).

Furthermore, policy implementation is the carrying out of a basic policy decision which involves
translating policy decisions into actions. Lack of policy implementation has been highlighted as a
key problem in environmental governance which makes the policies and laws to be less
effective. This is mainly because of poor funding, lack of political will and insufficient
institutional structures and capacity (Kalaba, 2016).

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended, therefore, that government of Zambia, through its cabinet, should ensure that
the need to deal with environmental pollution is done through effective legislation and policy
implementation to protect the health of the environment.

REFERENCES
Ministry Of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (2005). National Policy on
Environment. Lusaka, Zambia.

Environmental Council of Zambia (1997). Environmental Protection and Pollution Control

(Environmental Impact) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 28. Lusaka, Zambia

Environmental Management Act (2011) The Laws of Zambia, Republic of Zambia.

Chapman, K and Walmsley, B (2003) Country Chapter: Zambia. In: SAIEA (Southern African
Institute for Environmental Assessment), EIA in southern Africa. Windhoek: SAIEA, pp. 267–
95.

The Environmental Management (Licensing) Regulations SI. No. 112 of 2013

Zambia – Draft for Consultation (2019)

Kalaba. K, F (2016). Barriers to policy implementation and implications for Zambia’s forest
ecosystems, Forest Policy and Economics. Science Direct, Kitwe, Zambia.