Govt fines Castle Malawi for discharging toxic chemicals in river
Government has charged Castel Malawi K1 million for unlawfully discharging toxic chemicals into Mudi river in Blantyre.
Spokesperson for the ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Sangwani Phiri said Castel Malawi continued to discharge Fanta chemicals into the river despite several warnings against the malpractice.
“The Fanta concentrates could endanger aquatic life,” said Phiri.
He said the fine should be paid within five days.
Phiri said the company had been warned several times before the action was taken.
“There is an agreement between them and us on the disposal of the waste. They are supposed to treat the waste before they are disposed off in the river,” said Phiri.
Officials from the company refused to comment but Blantyre City Council had also been warning the company on the same several times.
The compnay was again fined K35.4 million last year for supplying the market with products likely to cause harm to consumers and K500.000.00 for supplying products containing foreign objects which is a violation of Section 43 (1) (e) of the Competition and Fair Trading Act.
Castel Malawi is a beverages only company comprising of 5 soft drinks packaging lines, a distillery and a brewery.
Given the low fine, we should boycott the producers for a period until they stop releasing pollution, which likely will have a much larger effect than this tiny fine.
Koma only 1 mita, aa dnt joke guys
In Kenya, the fine to an individual for using a plastic bag (majumbo) is KSK 1million (about MK 7million), here we are charging only MK1 million to a multimillion company for discharging effluent into a river? What a joke!
The cost of proper disposal could be more than the fine and these people cannot be detered from doing this again.
Really? I million only? u guys must be joking the castel people are not serious they need a heavy punishment to stop this
As little as that?
It high time we change the fines. It’s cheaper for Castel Malawi to discharge waste in the river than to follow proper waste disposal protocols. It’s would even have been much better to close the company just for 1 week than charging them 1 Million.
It seems like some quarters are much interested in mere fines than the lives of malawians.
awachita bwino
Shame on you Castel, that is a lack of responsibility. And please Mr Editor, read the stories thoroughly before publishing as your heading reads Castle, yet your story says its Castel.
Really 1 million Malawi kwacha only? Is that a fine being imposed on a multi-national company? These authorities are really joking! Wina adyapo pa CASTEL sure, it can’t be, no way. Dziko liri m’manja mwa agalu ndithu
I million kwacha is not enough if you compare with the effects of the chemicals. These chemicals have got long residence time with high potential of maintaining lethal effect in the aquatic food chain.