The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a nationwide enforcement drive aimed at addressing the growing practice of unregulated gold leaching, warning operators that failure to comply with emerging environmental requirements will attract prosecution. According to the EPA, the uncontrolled use of chemicals has heightened risks to ecosystems, public health and livelihoods. The new approach follows a high-level engagement between senior EPA officials and leaders of leaching associations in the Tarkwa Municipality of the Western Region. Gold leaching is a process that involves soaking crushed ore in chemical solutions such as cyanide and strong acids to extract gold. “We want to regulate the sources of cyanide and acids used in gold processing.