Galamsey: It could take 300 years to restore soil quality – CSIR

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) warns that restoring soil damaged by illegal mining (galamsey) could take up to 300 years.

Harmful chemicals like mercury and cyanide have severely contaminated farmland.

Dr. Albert Mensa from CSIR said that while degraded land can be used for forestry, full soil recovery through natural methods, such as phytoremediation, is extremely slow.

Additionally, toxicologist Dr. Bright Boamah noted that it could take 10 to 15 years to clean polluted water bodies.

Both stress the need for immediate action to prevent further environmental damage.