Blantyre City Council

Press Release
POLLUTION AND TRADE EFFLUENT MONITORING
BLANTYRE, 24th August 2015: Blantyre City Council has noted that
industrialisation has rapidly grown and its polluting impact on the
environment

has

also

increased.

This

is

putting

pressure

on

the

environment and natural resources, resulting in rapid deterioration the

citys environmental system. This is a substantial loss that needs to be
reversed for sustainable economic growth of our city. In order to control the
levels of pollution from various companies/institutions/industries and hold
those responsible for these emerging challenges accountable and in
pursuance of the Public Health Act Section 60 and 61 and the Second
Schedule of the Local Government Act Paragraph 2 (6), Blantyre City
Council wishes to inform the general public that it will embark on an ongoing pollution monitoring exercise that will specifically target trade effluent
from

all

industries

in

the

city.

Therefore,

all

companies/institutions/industries are being informed that they should not

be surprised when they see our staff, identified by our IDs, in their premises
asking for the undertaking of the following activities:
a. Thorough inspection of the activities being carried out by the
company/institution. This exercise will help identify the sort of trade
effluent that will be closely monitored.
b. Follow up of the companys/institutions wastewater system up to the
point of connection to Blantyre City Councils sewer line/trunk sewer.

c. Checking availability of either of these documents;

i.

Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)

ii.

Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA)

iii.

Environmental Audit Report (EA)

d. Collection of trade effluent samples at various designated points of the

company/institution, approved by the council, for analysis at our
Pollution Control Laboratory. This will assist in determining the levels
of pollution being contributed by the company/institution.
The Council

would also like to remind those concerned that the exercise

has the following implications:

a. Payment of monthly trade effluent charges in accordance to city bylaws.
b. Costs to be borne by companies/institutions for inspection and
analysis of oils and grease prior to discharge at designated dumping
sites. BCC has observed that most companies/institutions have been
dumping oils and grease using various private vacuum tankers
without authorisation of BCC.
Blantyre City Council would like to urge companies/institutions to
cooperate with its pollution control staff as the exercise will significantly
contribute

to

the

councils

efforts

environmentally safe and clean.

Dr A. W. D. CHANZA
ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

of

ensuring

that

our

city

is