Ministers cite environmental law breaches as effluent spills into homes, farms and roads.

By Edwin Mauluka

Ethanol manufacturer Presscane Limited has come under pressure from government to compensate communities affected by waste spillage from its dumping site in Chikwawa District.

Effluent from the company’s dumping site at Lauji Village in Traditional Authority Katunga has spilled into farmlands, homes and access roads in Dyeratu Township, raising environmental and public health concerns among residents.

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Roza Mbilizi, who toured the site alongside Minister of Natural Resources Alfred Gangata, said government would invoke all applicable laws violated by the company and demanded compensation for affected communities.

“As government, we intend to resolve this issue using the law,” Mbilizi said after meeting Presscane management.

‘Do the right thing’: Govt demands Presscane compensate Chikwawa communities MediaGov — *Waste spills into Dyeratu Township homes, raising serious health fears for residents.*

“We have laws that govern waste disposal, and as you can see, the effluent management system here is very poor. It is affecting crops, the environment and the health of communities around this area,” she said. “Because the company has failed to adhere to issues raised by the National Water Resources Authority and the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority, we will apply the full arm of the law.”

Gangata, on his part, urged the company to act swiftly.

“There are many people here, animals and crops that have been affected by the effluent. The company must do the right thing so that no one continues to suffer,” he said.

Presscane, a subsidiary of Press Corporation Limited, has since acknowledged the challenges and assured government that it will address the problem, including compensating those affected.

“It has happened before and there is a due process that is followed. We are going to follow the same procedure, normally led by the council,” said Presscane Chief Executive Officer Bryson Mkhomaanthu.

Mkhomaanthu said the evaporation pond at Dyeratu has been in use for some time and that the company has invested in a new effluent treatment plant.

“When that plant becomes operational, all the effluent that was coming here will be redirected there. Beyond that, the remaining effluent will dry into sludge, which we plan to process into compost fertiliser this year,” he said.

During the meeting, government officials accused Presscane of failing to submit an Effluent Management Plan as required by the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) and the National Water Resources Authority (NWRA). They also noted that the dumping site lacks buffer zones to protect surrounding communities.

The ministerial visit followed findings from a joint inspection by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS), NWRA and MEPA, which highlighted risks of water pollution and environmental damage.

The inspection, conducted on January 20 and 21, 2026, was a follow-up to an earlier assessment carried out in June 2025. According to NWRA, inspectors identified breaches of the Water Resources Act of 2013, including the discharge of raw effluent into the environment, contrary to Section 88 of the Act.

NWRA further noted that the spill-overs pose a threat to surface and groundwater sources used for domestic and irrigation purposes. Inspectors also cited the construction of unapproved and unlined secondary ponds, failure to implement remedial measures recommended in June 2025, and modifications to evaporation pond designs without formal approval.

Operational weaknesses were also identified, including evaporation ponds operating at or above capacity and lacking adequate freeboard to accommodate heavy rainfall. NWRA said these violations contravene effluent discharge permit conditions and could jeopardise the company’s operating licence.

Since 2017, communities living near the dumping site have complained about Presscane’s handling of the evaporation pond used to dispose of vinasse, citing persistent overflows into homes, farmlands and roads, corrosion of iron sheets from noxious gases, and offensive odours.

Residents say the situation has contributed to respiratory, eye and skin diseases and have long been demanding compensation.

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Photos by Edwin Mauluka

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