2 Jinja factories closed

Mar 19, 2008

THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has closed down two multi-million factories in Jinja. Skyfat and Leather Tanning Uganda Industries were accused of polluting the air because of the stench from the factories.

By Vision Reporter

THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has closed down two multi-million factories in Jinja. Skyfat and Leather Tanning Uganda Industries were accused of polluting the air because of the stench from the factories.

“Your factories are operating in a reckless manner yet you are producing hazardous waste.

“Because you have not respected our guidelines, I have closed down your factories with immediate effect,” said Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, NEMA’s executive head, on Tuesday.

He was meeting Sun Jun of Skyfat and Sangoy Ghosh of leather tanning.

Mugisha said they had received complaints from the public, the town clerk and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation that the two factories were polluting parts of the town.

In a March 17 letter to the leather tanning industry, Mugisha said: “Following inspection of the factory on March 11, it was noted that there was an offensive odour emanating from your factory and the waste water treatment facilities which are a danger to public health and the environment.”

Mugisha said the factory was burying wastes containing chemicals (chrome sludge) at the factory site and they did not have a license to operate a waste treatment plant or disposal site. “You do not have impervious pits for chrome sludges, resulting in contamination of ground water and the nearby Lake Victoria wetland ecosystem. You discharge your partially treated effluent into the public sewers ”

The letter added: “Your workers do not have adequate personal protective wear and this is dangerous to their health.”

Gosh said the factory, which was set up in 1976, had a waste treatment system that relied on burying chromium because their premises were small.

But Mugisha said the act was illegal, saying when it rains, the chemicals are swept into the surrounding water.

“NEMA is not against investment but people’s health is important.

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