21 ST CENTURY FACTORY CLOSSED FOR POLUTION

 From morogoro
The National Environment Management Council (NEMC) has shut down indefinitely production activities of 21st Century Limited factory in Morogoro for environmental pollution.

NEMC’s Director of Environment, Compliance and Enforcement, Dr Robert Ntakamulenga, said the factory has sewerage treatment plant, but it does not have the capacity to treat the wastewater to achieve the environmental standards needed.

Dr Ntakamulenga said the wastewater from the factory were polluting the air and can cause health hazards to community members, as it has various chemicals that are dangerous to the health of humans and other living organisms.

“Since 2006 the council and other authorities, including the Prime Minister, at different times have been issuing instructions to commands the leadership of the factory to improve its wastewater treatment plant, but they kept on defying orders and instructions so far,” he said.

According to the director, the factory has been using treatments ponds which were owned by Tanzania Leather Associated Industries (TLAI, which were specifically constructed to treat wastewater from leather tanning and not from textile industry.

He added that the discharged wastewater have been poured into Ngerengere River which its waters flows into the Ruvu River a major source of water for various uses, including residents of Coast and Dar es Salaam regions.

Expounding further he said as the factory failed to remedy the situation despite the instructions given to them, if it were to continue with operations it would cause significant impact to the environment and the health of the people who in one way or another use Ngerengere River water.

The council has the authority under the Environmental Management Act (EMA) of 2004 to close down industries which do not comply to the set regulations, hence the council shutdown the factory until all conditions in the Act are met.

Dr Ntakamulenga mentioned some of the conditions as the factory should bring their Environmental Management plan to NEMC and employ a laboratory technician who will first confirm that the wastewater discharge was well treated.

He also urged all industries that still use firewood in their production activities to stop that, instead use other sources of energy such as gas and coal.

In another development, he said that in March, this year they will commence operation to seize all plastic bags which do not meet the set standards.

Manufacturers and retailers have two months to phase register at the council, so that they can easily be identified. “Banning the use of plastics bags is easy as what we did in 2006, but enforcing it is still a challenge as without collaboration of different stakeholders we will never accomplish it,” he said.