Assessing Air Pollution Mitigation in Cement Production: A Case Study of Lafarge Zambia and Community Impact in Chilanga District, Zambia

Abstract

The cement industry remains essential for infrastructure development yet generates significant air pollution with consequent health and livelihood risks for surrounding communities. Despite global decarbonisation commitments and corporate mitigation pledges, evidence from developing countries suggests persistent implementation gaps. The research gap this study addresses lies in the limited empirical examination of whether documented corporate mitigation measures translate into measurable community-level livelihood protection, particularly for informal sector workers in African cement-producing areas. This study examines the effectiveness of air pollution mitigation measures at the Lafarge Zambia cement plant in Chilanga District, focusing on impacts on vegetable vendors in adjacent Freedom Compound. A convergent mixed methods design employed a quantitative survey of 87 vegetable vendors, four focus group discussions with community members, key informant interviews with three Zambia Environmental Management Agency officials and four community leaders, and systematic analysis of institutional reports and corporate documents. Dust exposure was measured through vendor-reported frequency of visible dust deposition on produce, with cross-validation against documented complaint records and institutional inspection reports. Economic impact was operationalised as reported weekly income loss, frequency of customer rejection, price discounting necessitated by dust, and disposal of unsalable produce. Despite documented commitments including electrostatic precipitators, baghouse filters, and water spraying systems, 81.6 per cent of vendors reported daily dust deposition on produce. Economic impacts included reduced sales reported by 67.8 per cent of respondents, discounted prices for affected produce, and product spoilage requiring disposal. Regulatory oversight was perceived as ineffective, with 70.1 per cent of vendors expressing low trust in ZEMA and 80.4 per cent expressing low trust in Lafarge. These findings indicate that community-perceived dust exposure persists at levels causing measurable economic harm, despite corporate claims of mitigation functionality. The study concludes that gaps between documented mitigation commitments and observed environmental outcomes arise not from absence of technology but from implementation and enforcement deficits. Positioning these findings within the global cement sector's decarbonisation trajectory and Africa's evolving regulatory landscape, the study argues that sustainable solutions require strengthened implementation, expanded monitoring, genuine community participation, and enhanced regulatory enforcement to protect vulnerable livelihoods and advance environmental justice.