EPA pilots ionic nano copper technology on Birim River to tackle galamsey pollution

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has launched a pilot clean-up exercise on the Birim River using an innovative Ionic Nano Copper technology as part of efforts to tackle pollution caused by illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.

The river, located in the Eastern Region, has suffered significant contamination from mining activities that have degraded water quality and threatened local ecosystems.

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The exercise began on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at Adiukrom in the Asiakwa area, where the EPA applied a specially formulated ionic nano-liquid directly to the water in hopes of restoring clarity and reducing heavy metal contamination.

The ionic nano copper solution works by binding to heavy metals and suspended particles in the water, causing contaminants to settle to the riverbed while cleaner water rises to the surface. This reaction begins within about 45 minutes of application.

EPA Chief Executive, Professor Nana Ama Brown Klutse described the technology as a “game-changer” in the fight to rehabilitate polluted rivers, noting that approximately $200,000 has already been spent on developing and piloting the solution.

She added that the approach has yielded visible improvements in the Birim River within a short time, including clearer water separating from mud soon after application and that, if supported and scaled up, could lower future water treatment costs across the country.

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The pilot exercise collaborated with Ghana Standards Authority, Ghana Water Company Limited, Water Resources Commission, CSIR-Water Research Institute, and Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, among others, to ensure accuracy in testing.

EPA has emphasised that while initial results are promising, further laboratory analysis of water samples is ongoing to confirm safety and environmental impact.

According to the Ghana Standards Authority, preliminary observations suggest the ionic nano copper treatment poses no harmful effects to humans or aquatic life.

Illegal mining, or galamsey, has been widely condemned for its devastating impact on Ghana’s rivers, forests and farmlands.

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These activities have introduced heavy metals including arsenic, mercury and other toxins into waterways, affecting water quality and making treatment increasingly challenging and costly.

The Birim River, which flows from the Atewa Range in the Eastern Region, has been one of the water bodies most affected by mining contaminants, with sedimentation and pollution making its water unsafe for direct human use without treatment.