By 
By Ross Moyo
Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has warned generator owners that operating them without a license is now a punishable offense by Zimbabwean laws.
In a just released statement by EMA titled “STANDBY POWER GENERATORS EMISSIONS,” EMA did not mince its words on the issue.
In its press release, EMA through its Harare Province Manager Leon Mutungamiri justified reasons as protecting the environment from emissions emanating from the generators.
“Standby power generators are one of the various trade facilities that release air pollutants, through exhausts, from the combustion of fossil fuels in internal engine.”
The Harare Province Manager continued, “As such, like all other air emitting appliances, standby generators should comply with air emissions licensing provisions sited in the Environmental Management Act Cap 20:27 as read with Statutory Instrument 72 of 2009, “Atmospheric Pollution Control”.
Monitoring for compliance to these statutes is being carried out extensively in Harare Metropolitan Province at all the premises. A standby power generator with a power rating that is more than five Kilovolts-Amperes [>5KVA] shall emit the exhaust emissions under a license by the Environmental Management Agency, excluding households.
All premises with emitting generators which are more than 5KVA, excluding households, are supposed to visit the Environmental Management Agency offices and acquire a license. Operators of generators without a license will be issued with tickets for non-compliance. All Business entities in Harare Metropolitan Province are encouraged to apply for the license to avoid being fined by the inspection teams. “
EMA added, “The Environmental Management Act CAP20:27 stipulates that, “No owner or operator of a trade or any establishment shall emit a substance or energy which causes or is likely to cause air pollution without an emission license issued by the Agency”.
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