Moshi leather factory fined 20m/- over environment law breach

DEUS NGOWI in Moshi

THE government has fined Moshi Leather Industries Limited 20m/- for non-compliance of environmental laws, further threatening closure of its operations in a one-month stint.

The Deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office, Union Matters and Environment, Mr Luhaga Mpina; National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Kilimanjaro regional and Moshi District senior officials paid a tour and inspection of the premises, raising much concern.

Mr Mpina wanted to know from the factory’s management the reason behind the non-compliance to NEMC’s regular advice and instructions.

However, there was little from the company’s Environmental Officer, Ms Halima Mtiga, as far as compliance is concerned. The company took over from the former Tanzania Tanneries Company Limited that was privatised in 1994, with the government holding 25 shares -- the rest going to Industrial Promotion Services (IPS).

However, Mr Mpina, NEMC Coordinator for Northern Zone, Dr Menan Jangu, and Mr Daniel Sagata from the Vice-President’s Office, who were on the field visit, singled out some irregularities, including the pond that keep waste water, saying it had no lining.

Also, waste water was not being treated to the required standard while rotten meat residuals could be seen in canals, giving out unpleasant odour.

The minister’s visit was meant to find out if operations at the factory were in line with the Environmental Management Act 2004 and its regulations of 2005. The visit came after an outcry from nearby residents about the strong odour and leakage of waste water into water sources as well as in people’s residences.

Mr Mpina, personally using a stick, fished out several meat residuals from the canal that carried waste water to the ponds.

He found out that there was inadequate water released to dilute the contents, leading to accumulation of mud and the said meat residuals at the long stretch -- from the point the waste is released to the ponds.

It was after going through all the areas and braving the strong odour, that the minister consulted the environmental experts, Dr Jangu and Mr Sagata, to suggest the way forward. After consulting the respective law, they issued the verdict that was read by Dr Jangu.

The NEMC coordinator said that they had offered guidelines and advice regularly to the company, which was, however, not fully complied to while the law is clear on the consequences. He said for disobeying legal directives, the company has been fined 5m/- while it would be required to pay 15m/- within one month in case of persistence. Dr Jangu said environmental audit was done by NEMC in December 2014, finding high levels of toxic substances. The incinerator was found not to be functioning while the factory had also not put in place a waste water treatment machine and recycling plant. The company’s Human Resources Manager, Mr Lucas Mosha, told the minister that the machines would be imported within one month from India, with installment expected to take some time. Mr Mpina ordered that the fine should be paid in 14 days. He also directed NEMC officials to visit the place after two to examine if the waste canals are clean and contain enough water to dilute the toxic material. In addition to that, the officials will visit the factory to decide its fate. The minister said it would be useless to encourage investment that brings about diseases and ultimate deaths of residents. He pointed out that although the Fifth Phase Government touted more industrialisation, setting up new factories should be done in accordance with the law. The minister noted that 40 per cent of patients in the country have contracted diseases as a result of rampant filth. He blamed environmental pollution for partly being the cause of increasing cases of lung cancer.