A new and comprehensive environmental study has revealed widespread and alarming contamination from heavy metals, including mercury, arsenic, and lead, across Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) regions. The year-long study, a collaboration between the non-profit Pure Earth and the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), raises serious public health and environmental concerns.
Heavy Metal Pollution Off the Charts
The report, titled Mercury and Other Heavy Metals Impact Assessment, examined soil, water, air, fish, and food crops in six key regions. The findings show levels of contamination far exceeding safe limits in numerous locations.
In Konongo Zongo, a community in the Ashanti Region, soil mercury levels were recorded at an astonishing 1,342 ppm, which is more than 130 times the safe limit. Airborne mercury was also a major concern, with measurements in Wassa Kayianko in the Western Region peaking at 150 μg/m³, 150 times above Ghana’s permissible level.
The study also found dangerous levels of arsenic across nearly all regions. Soil in Konongo Zongo recorded 10,060 ppm, a staggering 4,000% above safe levels. Drinking water sources were also compromised, with water in Konongo Odumase showing arsenic concentrations of 3.3 mg/L, vastly exceeding international drinking water standards.
Contamination of Food and Water Sources
The investigation highlights that the contamination has entered the food chain, with lead concentrations in fish from Akwaboso and Konongo Zongo surpassing WHO safety limits. Vegetables such as pumpkin leaves in the Western North also showed high levels of lead.
Mercury, arsenic, and lead were detected in a variety of other food crops, including kontomire (cocoyam leaves), tomatoes, cereals, legumes, and tubers, with some values well above international safety thresholds. Furthermore, several boreholes and streams used by local communities for drinking water were found to be contaminated with unsafe levels of lead and arsenic.
The study warns that residents, especially in mining communities, face chronic exposure through multiple routes, including inhalation and ingestion, with potential long-term effects on the nervous system, kidneys, and child development.
Recommendations for Urgent Action
In response to the dire findings, the researchers have proposed a multi-sectoral approach to address the crisis. Their key recommendations include:
- Piloting remediation projects in hotspots like Konongo Zongo using low-cost technologies.
- Expanding air and water monitoring across the affected regions.
- Launching community health education campaigns.
- Strengthening policy alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Establishing a dedicated National ASGM Environmental Response Task Force to coordinate efforts.
The report concludes that urgent and coordinated action is required to mitigate the public health and environmental risks posed by widespread heavy metal contamination from artisanal gold mining in Ghana.
Source: Citinewsroom
