Mombasa County? Lead (PB) Smelter Baseline Study Report 2018?2019
Center for Justice Governance and Environmental Action (CJGEA)
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Abstract: This baseline study report investigates the environmental and public health impacts of lead-acid battery (LAB) recycling in Mombasa County, Kenya, with a focus on informal settlements near smelting operations. It centers on three major smelters?Metal Refinery Ltd, Kenya Metal Refinery, and Aclara EPZ Ltd?whose operations, shutdowns, and legacy contamination continue to pose health risks. Through participatory action research, the study assesses soil and blood lead levels, environmental governance gaps, and community awareness. Soil samples revealed dangerously high lead concentrations, while blood testing of affected residents and former workers indicated widespread lead poisoning?eight out of ten participants exceeded WHO?s recommended levels. The study highlights violations of procedural rights such as access to information and public participation, with communities left unaware of the dangers or excluded from decision-making processes. Furthermore, environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) face marginalization and lack recognition, protection, or support. The report calls for legal reforms, institutional accountability, and community-centered governance to address the hazardous legacy of extractive industries in Kenya.