EPA Shuts Down Companies for Defaulting Environmental Laws

By P.  Vangerline Kpotoe

MONROVIA, Aug.  29 (LINA) – In an effort to create a safe environment for citizens, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has shut down two companies in the country for violating environmental laws.

Speaking at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) regular press briefing on Thursday, August 29, 2024, the EPA Executive Director, Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, disclosed that the companies involve include: the China Union Iron Ore Mines in Bong Mines, and the Grandma Mineral Water factory in Jacob’s Town, Paynesville.

According to him, the China Union violated several environmental laws including operation without an effluent discharge license, transportation of ores via the Bong Mines railway without an environmental mitigation plan, as well as construction of a new processing plant without an environmental permit and construction of a medium tailings processing plant without environmental permit and unregulated discharge of tailings into the nearby wetland among others.

The EPA boss announced that these 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.

He explained that considering these grave violations, the EPA on 28^th of June 2024 communicated a ‘notice of violation’ and fine action amounting to US$120 thousand to China Union.

The EPA Executive furthered that the company did not respond to the communication, on 8, August 2024, a second communication was sent requesting the company to comply with the fine action and commence undertaking remedial actions.

Despite these notices, Dr. Yarkpawolo noted that the 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 China Union were shut down on 28^th of August 2024 in adherence to Section 38 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, he asserted.

Dr. Yarkpawolo revealed significant violations of environmental and public health standards.

In the case of the Grandma Mineral Water Company, the EPA boss cited that during the inspection, it was discovered that the factory was operating without the necessary permits from both the EPA and National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL).

He emphasized that the facility was found to be unhygienic which raised serious concerns about the safety and quality of the water being produced.

The EPA official added that this action followed a joint fact-finding initiative conducted from July 29, 2024, which led to the shutting down of the water factory.

“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,” the EPA head noted.

He stated that the EPA is committed to ensuring all sachet water production facilities in Liberia adhere to the highest safety and hygiene standards, urging all water production companies and other companies to obtain the necessary permits and maintain proper sanitary conditions to safeguard public health.

Dr. Yarkpawolo maintained that the directive will remain in effect until full compliance is achieved and the identified environmental concerns are duly addressed, stressing that any contravention of this closure mandate will result in legal actions as prescribed by the Environmental Management Plan of Law (EPML).

Dr. Yarkpawolo hailed the Liberian National Police for supporting inspectors of the EPA to enforce the closure order and reaffirms its commitment to ensuring a clean, healthy, and safe environment for this and succeeding generations.

Meanwhile, the EPA boss also highlighted the investigation of earth vibration incident in Yegbedu Town, Lofa County.

Dr. Yarkpawolo narrated that the Government of Liberia, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the National Disaster Management Agency, completed an investigation into the recent earth vibrations in Yegbedu Town, Foya District, Lofa County.

 The EPA boss added that the investigation identified Yegbedu as a community with steep hills and a history of deforestation as critical factors that exacerbated the town's vulnerability to landslides, soil erosion, and other ground movements.

He disclosed that key findings from the investigation indicate that while no immediate catastrophic damage was observed, the inherent instability of the terrain presents significant long-term risks to the community and particular concern are the ongoing vibrations, which, though not currently causing visible soil displacement or structural damage, but have instilled widespread fear, leading to the displacement of approximately 70% of Yegbedu's 2,500 residents.