Justice for Kabwe - learn more

Kabwe, in Zambia, is one of the world’s most polluted towns. The widespread lead pollution from historic mining activities is a colonial legacy which affects thousands of children, their mothers and the wider community with life-long and irreversible health issues. Formerly known as the Broken Hill Mine, Kabwe was within the Anglo American Group for almost 50 years from 1925 to 1974. Currently class action proceedings are active against Anglo American South Africa Limited (‘AASA’) on behalf of an estimated 140,000 women and children. They are claiming compensation for their injuries, the costs of monitoring their Blood Lead Levels (BLLs), and the costs of cleaning up the environment.

The scale of lead contamination in Kabwe is devastating. Evidence shows that Anglo American was aware of widespread lead poisoning of local children and the environment while it was involved in managing and providing technical advice relating to medical and environmental operations of the Mine. This situation would not have been allowed to endure in the Global North.  In 2021, there were still about five million tons of mine tailings on the site.

Find out more about the Kabwe community’s campaign for justice.