By Moses M. Tokpah
Liberia-The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has punished China Union Investment (Liberia) Bong Mines CO., LTD) in Bong County, shutting down its operations months after it was fined for violations of EPA environmental regulations.
EPA Executive Director, Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo told reporters Thursday at the Ministry of Information press briefing that the Agency took decision for several environmental violations, including operation without an effluent discharge license, transportation of ores via the Bong Mines railway without an environmental mitigation plan.
Others are the construction of a new processing plant without an environmental permit, construction of a medium tailings processing plant without environmental permit and unregulated discharge of tailings into the nearby wetland, among others, Director Yarkpawolo said.
According to him, the actions by China Union violate several provisions of the environmental protection and management law of Liberia, including Sections 6, 15, 24, 27, 57, 58, 105 and 112 respectively.
He noted that considering these grave violations, the EPA on 28 June communicated a ‘notice of violation’ and ‘fine action’ amounting to USD 120,000.00 to China Union, but the company did not respond to the communication.
The EPA Boss furthered that on the 8th of August 2024, a second communication was sent requesting the company to comply with the ‘fine action’ and commence undertaking remedial actions.
He added China Union blatantly ignored the EPA warnings and continued to operate without any environmental permits, continuing its environmental degradation and pollution.
“In lieu of China Union’s persistent non-compliance with the Environmental Protection and Management Law of Liberia, and its refusal to engage with the EPA, the operational activities of the company was shut down in adherence to Section 38 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act,” the EPA boss asserted.
Yarkparwolo also vowed that the directive will remain in effect until the Company fully comply and duly address the concerns raised, stressing that any contravention will result in legal actions as prescribed by the EPML.
The EPA boss thanked the Liberian National Police for supporting EPA inspectors to enforce the closure order. He also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a clean, healthy, and safe environment for this and succeeding generations.
In a related development, the EPA in collaboration with the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) has also shut down the Grandma Mineral Water Factory in Jacob’s Town, Paynesville
This action according to Dr. Yarkpawolo, followed a joint fact-finding initiative conducted from July 29 to August 2, 2024, revealing significant violations of environmental and public health standards.
According to him, during the inspection, it was discovered that the Grandma Mineral Water Factory was operating without the necessary permits from both the EPA and NPHIL.
Additionally, the facility he noted was found to be unhygienic, raising serious concerns about the safety and quality of the water being produced.
“Laboratory analysis of the water from the facility showed that the water sold to the public was unsafe for human consumption. Given these findings, the EPA and NPHIL shut down the Grandma Mineral Water Factory to protect public health and ensure compliance to environmental and public health regulations” he averred.
Dr. Yarkpawolo reaffirmed the EPA’s commitment to ensuring all sachet water production facilities in Liberia adhere to the highest safety and hygiene standards. He also urged all water production companies to obtain the necessary permits and maintain proper sanitary conditions to safeguard public health.
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