Company bosses face arrest over pollution

COMPANY and council executives could soon be arrested in their personal capacities if their organisations pollute the environment, as the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) steps up efforts to curb pollution. EMA spokesperson Mr Steady Kangata said many corporate organisations were the major polluters of the environment while fining companies has proved not to be deterrent enough. Mr Katanga said charging company executives would ensure that they enforce policies that will help reduce high levels of pollution.

"Other people are saying fines are too low for big companies or corporates as they can pay the fine and continue polluting. We are also lobbying for what we call the piercing of the corporate veil where the chief executive officer will be held accountable in his or her personal capacity for the ills done by the company that he or she leads," said Mr Kangata.

Mr Kangata briefed journalists that EMA was holding environmental awareness campaigns throughout the country to help people understand that they can make cash out of waste.

The Government last year announced that it has given mobile phone companies six months to phase out recharge scratch cards and told food shops that kaylite packaging for food will be banned at the same time. The deadline to comply with the directive is June this year. Mr Kangata said the move was meant to ensure that mobile phone companies promote technologies that can be used instead of recharge cards, while food outlets were ordered to use biodegradable materials that are environmentally friendly. — Sunday News Correspondent