The Environmental Protection Agency has rolled out a comprehensive nationwide enforcement drive aimed at curbing the spread of unregulated gold leaching, warning operators involved in the practice to comply with newly outlined environmental requirements or face prosecution. The Authority has described chemical leaching as a rapidly escalating environmental threat, pointing to increasing incidents of toxic effluent discharge, soil degradation, and the destruction of vital water sources in mining communities.
Under a newly introduced regulatory framework, all gold leaching operators will be required to undergo compulsory environmental safety training and certification as a condition for transitioning from illegality toward formal compliance. The initiative follows a high level engagement between EPA leadership and executives of leaching associations in the Tarkwa Municipality of the Western Region, an interaction that marked the starting point of a coordinated national crackdown on chemical pollution hotspots.
Gold leaching typically involves immersing crushed ore in chemical solvents such as cyanide and highly corrosive acids to extract gold. When carried out without environmental permits, engineered containment systems, or waste treatment mechanisms, the process poses severe risks, including toxic seepage, groundwater poisoning, and long term ecological damage. Although the practice is prohibited under Ghana’s environmental and mining laws, it has continued to spread across several mining districts, raising alarm among regulators.
Following inspections of multiple leaching sites in Tarkwa, the EPA summoned operators and outlined a structured compliance pathway designed to regulate chemical handling, improve environmental monitoring, and enforce pollution control standards. According to the Authority, the approach reflects a shift from unchecked illegality toward strict regulation backed by environmental oversight.
The Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, explained that while gold leaching remains unlawful in its current form, the Agency has developed regulations to control and regularise the activity. She stated that operators will be required to undergo training and certification to ensure that gold recovery is carried out in a manner that does not compromise environmental safety.
She further indicated that the process will begin with registration and training, followed by the phased issuance of environmental permits under stringent conditions. According to her, this approach will allow the Agency to bring operators under supervision while ensuring adherence to sustainable mining practices.
A central element of the new regime is tighter regulation of the chemical supply chain to prevent unrestricted access to hazardous substances. Professor Klutse noted that the EPA intends to regulate the sourcing of cyanide and acids used in gold processing, adding that leaching associations will be empowered to help monitor procurement and distribution 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. From the coming weeks, notices will be issued, registration will commence in the second week of February, and permit applications will begin before the close of the month. The Agency also plans to collaborate with operators on the construction of safer and environmentally sound processing facilities.
Professor Klutse warned that failure to comply with the new requirements would attract sanctions under Ghana’s environmental laws. She explained that depending on the severity of violations, penalties could range from administrative sanctions to full prosecution.
The enforcement effort has received cautious support from within the leaching community. A spokesperson for the Tarkwa leaching association, Lord King Aikins, welcomed the intervention and expressed readiness to cooperate with regulators. He noted that the engagement had helped operators better understand the environmental consequences of their practices and said guidance from the EPA would help reduce pollution and improve compliance.
The EPA insists that the nationwide crackdown forms part of a broader strategy to protect Ghana’s ecosystems, safeguard downstream communities, and prevent irreversible damage to land and water bodies caused by hazardous mining chemicals.
Source: Myjoyonline
