EPA intensifies nationwide action against toxic chemical pollution in mining communities
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun a nationwide enforcement drive to curb unregulated gold leaching activities, cautioning illegal operators to comply with newly established environmental standards or face prosecution.
The Authority has identified chemical leaching as a growing environmental threat, linking the practice to increasing cases of hazardous effluent discharge, soil degradation and the destruction of vital water sources in mining communities.
Under a new regulatory framework, all gold leaching operators will be required to undergo compulsory environmental safety training and certification as part of efforts to formalise and regulate their activities.
The move follows a high-level engagement between EPA officials and executives of leaching associations in the Tarkwa Municipality of the Western Region, marking the start of a coordinated national enforcement effort targeting areas identified as chemical pollution hotspots.
Gold leaching involves treating crushed ore with chemical solvents such as cyanide and strong acids to extract gold. When undertaken without environmental permits, engineered containment structures, and appropriate waste treatment systems, the process poses serious risks, including toxic seepage, groundwater pollution and long-term damage to ecosystems.
Although the practice is illegal under Ghana’s environmental and mining laws, it continues to expand across several mining districts. Following inspections of multiple sites in Tarkwa, the EPA summoned leaching operators and presented a structured compliance framework designed to regulate chemical use, enhance environmental monitoring, and enforce pollution control measures.
EPA Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, said the Authority is moving from a position of outright illegality toward strict regulation and environmental oversight.
“The activity remains illegal, but the EPA has developed regulations to control and regularise the operations of leachers. They will undergo training and certification to ensure that mining is carried out sustainably without polluting the environment,” she said.
She explained that the process would begin with registration and training, followed by the phased issuance of environmental permits under strict conditions.
A major element of the new framework is tighter regulation of the chemical supply chain to prevent indiscriminate access to hazardous substances used in gold processing. Leaching associations are expected to play a role in monitoring the procurement and distribution of chemicals such as cyanide and acids among their members to minimise environmental harm.
The EPA has set the end of February 2026 as the deadline for operators to enter the compliance process, warning that failure to do so will result in legal sanctions. Notices are expected to be issued in the coming weeks, followed by registration and permit applications, alongside plans to support the construction of safer and environmentally compliant processing facilities.
The Authority has indicated that breaches of the new requirements will attract penalties under Ghana’s environmental laws, including administrative sanctions and possible prosecution, depending on the severity of violations.
A spokesperson for the Tarkwa leaching association, Lord King Aikins, welcomed the intervention and expressed readiness to cooperate with the EPA.
“This engagement has been helpful. We now understand that some of our practices are harmful, and the EPA will guide us to ensure we do not pollute the environment,” he said.
The EPA says the enforcement exercise forms part of a broader national strategy to protect Ghana’s ecosystems, safeguard downstream communities and prevent irreversible contamination of land and water bodies by hazardous mining chemicals.
