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More than 1,000 cases of non-compliant packaged water in Lusaka valued at more than K84, 000 have been seized and withdrawn from the market.
This followed the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) intensified open market surveillance inspections conducted in Lusaka from March,13 to March,15, 2024.
ZCSA Head of Communications, Brian Hatyoka, said the surveillance was done in a bid to curtail the illegal sale of products covered by compulsory standards.
Hatyoka stated that some affected suppliers and manufacturers have since started the process of regularizing the licensing of the products in line with the requirements of the Compulsory Standards Act No. 3 of 2017.
He said the products were seized in Emmasdale, Industrial Area, Chipata, Kanyama, Chawama, Town Centre, Kamwala South, 10 Miles, Ngwerere, Obama and Waterfalls Townships.
“This enforcement activity in Lusaka was aimed at ensuring that only safe products are supplied to consumers as unlicensed products have the potential of posing a risk to the safety of consumers,” Hatyoka said.
He added that the Agency inspected both imported and locally produced packaged water to ensure compliance with the Zambian Standard ZS 388: Bottled Drinking Water–Specification.
Hatyoka stated that the packaged water was tested by competent laboratories for compliance to requirements stipulated in the compulsory standard.
“Products covered by compulsory standards, including bottled water, are only allowed on the market once they comply with the regulatory requirements,” he said.
Hatyoka warned that no one was legally allowed to supply any product covered by a compulsory standard without the authority of the Agency.
He restated that the Agency regularly conducted post market surveillance to ensure continued post market compliance.
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“ZCSA is urging manufacturers to package bottled water in compliance with the compulsory Zambian Standard for Bottled Water ZS 388: Bottled Drinking Water – Specification,” Hatyoka advised.
He called on manufacturers to also obtain authority from the Agency before supplying products covered by compulsory standards on the market to safeguard the safety of consumers.
Hatyoka indicated that going forward, the Agency would intensify enforcement activities on all regulated products to safeguard the safety of consumers.
“Currently, ZCSA regulates 61 imported and locally manufactured products falling within the scope of Compulsory Standards covering food products, Beverages, Chemicals, Fertilizers, Cement and Household Electrical appliances, among others,” he said.
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