EPA Appeals for $200,000 to Pilot Copper-Based “Nano Liquid” Technology to Clean Galamsey-Polluted Rivers

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is appealing for $200,000 in immediate funding to pilot a new copper-based “nano liquid” technology designed to clean up Ghana’s heavily polluted rivers — a crisis driven largely by illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.

The EPA says the project will serve as a proof of concept to demonstrate how science-backed solutions can be used to restore Ghana’s contaminated water bodies and pave the way for large-scale interventions.

Speaking on Joy News on Sunday, October 5, the Executive Director of the EPA, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, said the pilot is a crucial step toward unlocking the political will and investment needed to tackle one of Ghana’s gravest environmental challenges.

“To do pilots to show to Ghanaians and even the presidents that this is doable. We need $200,000 — if I get it today, we will do the pilot for every Ghanaian to see that with the flowing river, this particular technology can be used,” Prof. Klutse stated.

She emphasised that the pollution crisis is solvable through science and innovation, rather than depending solely on military or security operations to combat illegal mining.

According to Prof. Klutse, the proposed dechemicalisation solution — a copper-based nano liquid — has already been successfully tested in EPA laboratories and proven effective in other countries, including Greece.

“We have tried this, which has been tested in Greece. I have seen for myself. We have done the test in the lab for the EPA and advised the government on this; we have tested it, and it works, and it’s doable,” she noted.

The EPA is also exploring other advanced purification technologies, such as membrane-based filtration systems, to determine the most cost-effective and sustainable method for large-scale implementation.

While Prof. Klutse acknowledged that a nationwide river clean-up would require billions of dollars, she said the $200,000 pilot is essential to demonstrate feasibility and convince government and stakeholders to scale up the effort.

“The EPA is pursuing a zero-arsenic strategy. We are looking at all options, but we must invest in what is effective and sustainable,” she added.

The urgency of the project is underscored by alarming data showing that up to 60% of Ghana’s major rivers are contaminated, leading to frequent shutdowns of water treatment plants and threatening access to safe drinking water for millions of citizens.