It is pumped into the environment. The National Council for Scientific Research estimates that 2000 micrograms per cubic metre of Sulphur dioxide are discharged every day from the copper smelter in Kitwe. The World Health Organsation consider 600 an acceptable level. Only a 100 km away from Chingola in Kankoyo locality of Mufulira town sulphur dioxide omission creating acid raid has devastated crops. Vegetables no longer grow and trees and other plants are withering.
Paint peels off the walls as a result of the acid rain from the town's copper smelter.
The smelting methods do not meet the rigorous environmental standards of most industrialised countries. With falling and fluctuating copper prices and revenues the copper producing firms have had insufficient resources to invest in smelters that produce lower and acceptable levels of pollution. ZCCM built one plant that will convert the sulphur dioxide into sulphuric acid. However, the company is reluctant to build more. Having large stocks of unsold sulphuric acid also has environmental concerns.