A group of Zambian farmers has taken Chinese company Sino Metals Leach (SML) to court, accusing it of contaminating their land and water through a massive toxic spill from its mining waste dam, which they say poses serious health dangers.
The lawsuit stems from a February incident near Kitwe in Zambia’s copper belt, where a dam collapse unleashed tens of millions of liters of mining waste.
Cleanup company Drizit, contracted by Zambia’s environmental agency, revealed that the actual spill was 20 times larger than SML’s first reported figures.
Tests showed the waste contained high levels of cyanide, arsenic, copper, and cadmium, chemicals linked by the World Health Organization to cancer and birth defects.
Representing about 50 farmers, the lawsuit seeks $220 million from SML. The farmers want the money directed toward an independent environmental impact study, a full health assessment, and their urgent relocation before receiving full compensation.
