EMA Background

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is a statutory body responsible for ensuring
the sustainable utilization of natural resources and protection of the environment and coming
with plans to prevent pollution and environmental degradation. EMA was established under
the Environmental Management Act (EMA Act) chapter 20:27 of 2002. The act was
operationalized on 17 March 2003 through the statutory instrument 103 of 2003.

EMA is an Agency under the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry and
was formed through the merging of three different departments and units, which include the
Department of Natural Resources and ZINWA Water Quality Section, as well as functions
from other departments such as Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Hazardous Substances
and Atmospheric Pollution Section.

Department of Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, ZINWA (Water

Natural Resources Hazardous Substances and Quality Section)
Atmospheric Pollution

Environmental Management
Agency (EMA)

The Agency has offices in all the provinces and in 62 districts countrywide and they all report
to the head office in Harare. The agency has been running for more than a decade and since
then it has managed to deal with most of the environmental issues that had been plaguing
Zimbabwe.
ORGANISATION’S CORE BUSINESS

EMA is Subject to the Environmental Management Act chapter 20:27, the Agency’s core
business or Mandate is:

 To formulate quality standards on air, water, soil, noise, vibration, radiation and waste
management.
  To assist and participate in any matter pertaining to the management of the environment
and in particular.
 To develop guidelines for the preparation of a National Plan, environmental
Management plans and local environmental action plans.
 To regulate and monitor the collection, disposal, treatment and recycling of waste.
 To regulate and monitor the discharge or emission of any pollutant or hazardous
substance into the environment.
 To keep records in the form of registers of all licences, and permits issued under this
Act.
 To regulate and monitor the control of invasive alien species (IAS).
 To regulate, monitor, review, and approve Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
 To regulate and monitor the management and utilisation of ecologically fragile
ecosystems.
 To make model by laws and to establish measures for the management of the
environment within the jurisdiction of the local authorities.
 To develop and implement incentives for the protection of the environment;
 To co-ordinate the production of a report on the state of the environment every five
years for the purpose of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section.
 To undertake any works deemed necessary or desirable for the protection or
management of the environmental where it appears to be in the public interest or where
in its opinion an appropriate authority has neglected to do so.
ORGANISATION’S GOAL

“Organizational goals are strategic objectives that a company’s management establishes to

outline expected outcomes and guide employee’s efforts,” (Rouse, 2017).These objectives
must be SMART, meaning they should be specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic and
time bound. The goals must be in line with the organization’s mission and vision statements.
(Graham, 2014) states that, “A vision statement says what the organization wishes to be like in
some years’ time and the mission statement describes what the organization is in both now and
projects into the future” This shows that one cannot talk about organizational goals without
mentioning the vision, mission statements

EMA reviewed its superordinate goals, being the vision statement, mission statement and
shared values, so that they are fully aligned and relevant for the planning period
EMA vision

A clean, safe and healthy environment, supporting an empowered society, a sustainable and
growing economy by 2030.

EMA mission

To regulate, monitor and promote sustainable management of natural resources and protection
of the environment with stakeholder participation.
EMA’s core values

 Unhu/Ubuntu
 Professionalism
 Accountability
 Stakeholder participation
 Responsiveness
 Transparency

EMA goals

1. To establish up to date baseline and databases for environmental information.

2. To increase stakeholder participation in environmental enforcement, programmes and
projects.
3. To increase compliance with regulation and standards.
4. To raise the environmental awareness.
5. To amend and develop a comprehensive body of legislation and formulate
environmental quality standards
Functional departments of EMA

EMA has two operational departments which are responsible for the environment namely the
Environmental Protection (EP) and the Environmental Management Services (EMS). The EP
department provides environmental protection and laboratory analytical services while EMS
provides environmental research, planning and monitoring as well as environmental education
and information dissemination. The other departments which are namely the Finance and
Administration (F&A) department which is responsible for the financial and administrative and
the Human Resources are there to support the operational departments.
Environmental Protection

The Environmental Protection department is responsible for compliance monitoring and

enforcing environmental legislation as well as setting up of Environmental Quality standards
and Ecosystems Protection Units. The EP department is divided into 3 sections namely the
Environmental Quality section, the EIA, Ecosystems Protection and Solid Waste management,
and the Laboratory. The Environmental Management Agency Laboratory (EMAL) is an ISO
17025 accredited laboratory. The department has the following roles in the organization;

 Production of environmental quality standards

 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs) review and monitoring
 Hazardous substances/ waste, use and handling
 Production of guidelines for ecosystems protection management and utilization
 Waste management
 Ensure compliance with environmental legislation.
Ecosystems Protection Department
The Ecosystems Protection unit focuses on wetlands protection, veld fires, deforestation issues,
sand and clay abstraction and transportation and land degradation. Throughout every year, the
ecosystems protection activities concentrated on issues of veld fires, deforestation, brick
molding, sand and clay abstraction, sand transportation, wetland protection and stream bank
cultivation in order to maintain healthy ecosystems.
Environmental Quality Section

The Environmental Quality operations consist of inspections that monitor air quality, water and
effluent, solid waste, hazardous substances, whilst the laboratory provides the analytical
service. The Environmental Management Agency Laboratory (EMA) also falls under the
Environmental Quality Unit.
The Environmental Management Agency Laboratory (EMAL)

EMAL is a national institute built for support and advice on all aspects of environmental
quality, research, treatment studies, training and environmental quality information. The
laboratory started operating in 2007 and was first accredited in 2012 and it has continuously
maintained its accreditation status.
The services offered by EMAL include:
- Biological water testing
- Chemical water testing
- Soil testing that i.e. the level of contamination in the soil
- Consultancy and sampling services

Environmental Management Services department

The department is mandated is mandated to collect, produce and disseminate environmental
information. It consists of two units namely the Environmental Education and Publicity Unit
(EPP) and the Environmental Planning and Monitoring Unit (EPM). The department has the
following roles in the organization;

 Local Environment Action Plans (LEAPS)

 Stakeholder capacitation workshops
 Environmental education
 Environmental competitions for schools, agricultural colleges and the police
 Commemorations for national and international environmental days
 Environmental projects
 Environmental Research
 Compiles state of the Environmental Report
Environmental Education and Publicity unit (EEP)
The unit covers two broad critical areas namely Environmental Education and Publicity.
Environmental Education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues,
engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. It is the teaching of
individuals, and communities, in transitioning to a society that is knowledgeable of the
environment and its associated problems, aware of the solutions to these problems, and
motivated to solve them.

According to Easland (2015), Publicity creates public awareness and attention around a brand.
Publicity concerns an organization’s presence in the media, forms of publicity include news
stories, articles and event information.
Therefore, the Unit’s key areas are:
- Environmental information dissemination
- Stakeholder Management
- Event Management
- Production of Documentaries
- Raising environmental awareness
- Educating the public on environmental issues
- Production and Distribution of environmental promotional materials
- Environmental days’ commemorations
- Publishing of the State of the Environment
Environmental Planning and Monitoring (EPM)
The unit has four key areas namely:
- Environmental research and development
- Environmental training
- Environmental Planning (projects)
- Environmental Monitoring (GIS and Remote Sensing)

Finance and Administration department

Offers support services through its two units, the Finance and the Administration Unit. These
offer financial and administrative support services. The department is responsible for the
management of the Agency’s funds and administers funds foe EMA projects.

ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AND ORGANOGRAM

Main Organogram of EMA

FUNDING MECHANISM
For every company to be successful and operational it must have a funding mechanism.
According to Forbes (2011), funding mechanism is an act of providing financial resources.
“The way in which a business, organization or a program receives funding necessary for it to
remain operational,” (Wisegeek, 2015). According to (Wisegeek, 2015)there are various ways
in which you can fund your business such as revenue generated from the sale of products or
services, loans, credits, sale of stock, donations, fund raisings, events, grants, venture capitals
as well as savings.

The Environmental Management Agency is a largely self-funding organisation. Of the two

EMA departments, Revenue comes from the EP Department. The sections in the EP department
generates licences and certificates which helps in the funding of the Agency. From the EP
department, licences fees comes from the EIA, Ecosystems Protection, Solid waste, Hazardous
substances, Water Effluent and Air Quality unit.
EIA
Prospectus review fees
Consultancy registration fee
EIA review (charged on percentage depending with the project)
Ecosystems
Sand extraction licence
Sand Transportation licences
Solid Waste

 Solid waste Enterprise licence

Environmental Quality

a. Emissions Licences
 Stack emissions licences
 Generator emissions licences
b. Water Effluent licences
c. Hazardous Substances
 Transportation licence
 Storage licence
 Hazardous Use licence

Profile and brief description of the section stationed

On my attachment period at EMA I was stationed at the Environmental Quality Section with
the following units Air Quality, Hazardous Substances, and Water effluent units. These units
are governed by the Environmental Management Act (20:27) and each unit is responsible for
making sure that their own Statutory Instrument is implemented.

Air Quality Unit

The Air Quality unit is responsible in making sure that SI 72 of 2009 is well implemented
through the monitoring of ambient air and regulating that emissions of pollutants into the
environment are according to the amount prescribed in the Third Schedule of SI 72 of 2009 for
the activity concerned and it is also responsible for the prevention of air pollution.
Air pollution

Air pollution is the introduction of gases, dust particles, fumes smoke, or odour into the
atmosphere in a way that makes it harmful to humans, animals and plants. This makes the air
dirty.
Causes of air pollution

Air pollution can result from human or natural actions. Pollution from natural occurrences such
as volcanic eruptions, wind erosion, evaporation of organic compounds is not very common
Common sources of pollution
Stationary Sources
  Burning of waste, vehicle tyres, bitumen, oil
 Accumulation of waste at poorly designed landfill releases methane
 Industrial emissions
 Veld fires
 Poorly maintained fuel burning appliances
Mobile sources

 Smoke and gases from vehicular emissions. Cars and heavy trucks, trains and
aeroplanes all burn fossil fuels which release dangerous gases.
Effects of Air pollution

 Global warming and climate change

 Acid Rain
 Health Effects include complications as well as aggravation of conditions such as
asthma
 Exposure to air pollution can also cause cancer and bronchitis
 Biodiversity loss
 Smog (photochemical and winter)
Vehicle Emissions

Vehicle exhaust emissions are a principal source of urban pollution given the increasing
number of vehicle on the roads. Vehicle emissions levels are monitored by the Agency’s
Inspectors whose powers include

 Stopping any motor vehicle on the road

 Testing and inspecting any motor vehicles
 Instructing a motor vehicle to be driven to a place where it can be tested so as to
ascertain whether or not it complies with emission standards

If a motor vehicle does not comply with the emissions standards an inspector may direct the
vehicle:

 Not to be used on any road

 Be repaired or adjusted so that it complies with emission standards
 To a place specified for testing and inspecting to ascertain if it complies with the
emission standards
Air Polluting Appliances

Any person whose activities pollute the air must have appropriate equipment to reduce
emissions. Chimneys of any polluting appliance should be 50meters in height and designed to
allow for adequate dispersion of the pollutants. If the owner of any premise does not conform
to this requirement he will be required to install, alter or extend such chimneys at their own
cost.
It is an offence:
  To hinder or obstruct an inspector of the Agency in the exercising any of his functions
pertaining to air pollution control
 To emit air pollutants without an emission licence from EMA for all industrial
emissions

An operator of ant established emitting substances likely to cause air pollution is advised to
apply for emission licences from the Agency
Emission licences are classified as follows

1. Blue class- discharge which is considered to be environmentally friendly

2. Green class- discharge which is considered to present a low environmental hazard
3. Yellow class- discharge which is considered to present a medium environmental hazard
4. Red class- discharge which is considered to present a high environmental hazard

Hazardous Substances
The hazardous substances unit is responsible in making sure that SI 268 0f 2018 is well
implemented through

ACTIVITIES
During my fruitful internship at EMA had a wonderful time and the the year was filled with
many activities these are some of the activities I took part in
Use of smoke stain reflectometer

Following the donation of the smoke reflectometer by the IAEA and the technical knowhow
shared during the capacity building for Air Pollution Monitoring in Zimbabwe under The IAEA
Framework of the Regional Project (RAF7016), the Agency started using the smoke
reflectometer to analyse filters used in monitoring ambient to be able to tell how much of the
air trapped came from combustion sources. I used the smoke reflectometer to analyse filters
from ambient PM10 monitoring mainly from Kadoma, Hwange and Belvedere Ridgeview
ambient PM10 monitoring exercises. After recording the readings from the reflectometer, the
data needed to be calculated and interpreted in order to be reported. The calculations for this
data had to be researched and the calculations were done using Microsoft excel.
Hwange fallout zone Ambient PM10 monitoring exercise

I took part in a six-day ambient air monitoring exercise, for ambient particulate matter (PM10)
assessment within the fall out Zone of Wankie Colliery Company and Zimbabwe Power
Company (ZPC) in Hwange. The status of air quality in Hwange town is largely affected by
coal mining activities in the area and ZPC power station, one of the biggest in the country.
PM10 describes inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and
smaller. Exposure to high concentrations of PM10 can result in a number of health impacts
ranging from coughing and wheezing to asthma attacks and bronchitis to high blood pressure,
heart attack, strokes and premature death. An assessment within the fall out zone reflects
population exposure to pollution and signifies the impact of companies operating in the area
on Atmospheric pollution. The exercise was carried out using Casella Micro Dust Pro
Analysers. The monitoring process was done on five different locations where people reside
most during day and was conducted on 8-continuous-hours a day for six days. The criteria used
for selecting these points was stratified random sampling with factors such as security and
accessibility of the area being factored in. The areas used included a primary school, a
secondary school, a technical college, a police station and a hotel. Since this monitoring was
done in the same area which we assume is all polluted, because of the proximity to the polluting
source, there was no control for this monitoring exercise, since a control would require a
different location away from the town where there are no polluting activities close by.
Ambient air monitoring in Ridgeview area in Belvedere

We carried out an air pollution sampling exercise in Ridgeview area, in Belvedere district from
the 31st of October to the 8th of November 2018. The area is one of the most air-polluted areas
in Harare mainly because of its geographical location and proximity to pollution sources which
include Harare thermal power boilers, Dairy board coal boiler, Crystal candy boilers, Windmill
fertilizer boiler and Colcom foods boiler. These boilers are powered by coal which releases
grey ash, termed particulate matter, upon combustion and this causes considerable air pollution.
There have been a lot of complaints of black soot clouding in Ridgeview in the past years. Five
monitoring locations were established which are Belvedere Technical Teachers College, Louse
Mountbatten Primary School, House No 5 along Highway Road, Westridge Primary School
and Metrological Services Department. The 10-hour daily measurements were conducted for
7 days spread over a 10-day period. . The assessment revealed that ground level concentrations
(GLC) of PM10 in Ridgeview for the sampling period were within the World Health
Organisation (WHO) 24-hour guideline of 0.05mg/m3 and also within the Standards
Association of Zimbabwe’s 24-hour guideline of 0.15mg/m3 although some of the maximum
PM10 levels for each day were extremely high with regard to WHO 24-hour guideline.
Use of SAP software

There is use of S.A.P software that is used to produce bills, quotations, invoices and receipts
electronically for clients. This has enhanced efficiency and fastness in the organisation. SAP is
used as a record keeping software in which various departments. SAP application in the Air
Pollution Control section is used for licencing of clients. The licencing process starts with the
creation of a quotation to the client with regard to the licence class, every licence class have
different prices as stated in the First Schedule of SI 72 of 2009. The software also contains
records of all clients and all licences issued for the past years. The software makes it easy to
track client’s performance and also to evaluate the Agency’s performance. I used the
application in the decentralization process of licensing to provincial level. Information on SAP
is used on a monthly bases and every quarter when writing reports.
Report writing

During my internship period I wrote many reports including but not limited to weekly reports,
monthly reports, quarterly reports, field reports and inspection reports. I was made to engage
into research work and write reports. Some of these reports such as weekly reports, monthly
reports and quarterly reports were mainly based on literature review ad summarisation of
provincial reports to produce a national report which would later be reviewed by the supervisor.
Other reports such as field reports required further research of the place for example, when
righting the Hwange Ambient PM10 monitoring report, the student had to research all factors
that affect the general state of air in Hwange to help in pin-pointing the main source of pollution
in the area. However this factors were also affected with other factors such as the wind
direction, wind speed, topography and the climatic conditions of the area
Recycling Companies Visits

During the look and learn of recycling companies attended by the student in his preparation of
designing a concept notes for chemical engineering, we managed to visit a number of recycling
companies and Community Based Organisations (CBOs), which are in the waste management
business including plastic (LDPE, HDPE, PET and PVC), Metal (Aluminium), Paper
(cardboard, bond, tissue, newsprint and chipboard). Some of these companies include National
Waste Collection, Sunningdale Waste Separation, PETRECO ZIM and Tisunungureiwo CBO.
I managed to grasp that waste recycling is actually a profitable business that many families are
surviving on. This was evident when the student learned that a kg of clear PET is bought at the
rate of 20c and 15c/Kg for the brown, HDPE is bought at the rate of 70c/Kg and paper at
$25/tonne. The companies that buy these wastes, take it to their plants were they either compact
it into bales or crush it into plastic flakes which are sold to local companies like Mary Time
recycling company and Mega PAK or export them to South Africa and China. Some of the
companies like Tisunungureiwo use the LDPE and HDPE to produce paving bricks by melting
the plastic and mixing it with sand. These pavers are then sold to construction companies and
individuals. Some companies that deal with waste claim that they collect about 6 tonnes of
waste per day from CBOs and other institutions. This knowledge helped the student know that
there is money in waste and there is also a market for this waste.