The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched sweeping nationwide measures to clamp down on unregulated gold leaching, warning illegal operators to comply with new environmental standards or face prosecution. The Authority describes chemical leaching as an escalating environmental hazard, citing rising cases of hazardous effluent discharge, soil contamination, and the degradation of critical water resources in mining communities. Leaching involves soaking crushed ore in chemical solvents such as cyanide and strong acids to dissolve and recover gold. Despite being illegal under Ghana’s environmental and mining laws, the practice is spreading rapidly across mining districts. A spokesperson for the Tarkwa leaching association, Lord King Aikins, welcomed the intervention and pledged cooperation.