Who We Are

This programme seeks to ensure that the usage of hazardous chemicals does not pollute the environment, and even when pollution occurs suggest ways to clean-up the polluted environment. It further aims at exploring the linkages exposure to these toxic chemicals and its impact on human health as well as other species in the environment. Some of the key areas of this programme include but not limited to:

Monitoring, Risk Assessment and epidemiological studies from exposure to hazardous chemicals in the environment.

• Advanced monitoring methods for persistent organic pollutants (POPs), endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), cyanide and heavy metals

• Risk assessment and epidemiological studies of exposure to POPs, EDCs, heavy metals, etc.

• Integrated watershed management of hazardous chemicals

• Establishment of monitoring information networks in the ECOWAS sub – region.

Environmental Application of Advanced Biotechnology

• Biotechnology study of biodegradation and bioremediation

• Advanced enzymatic application for the reduction of the risks of hazardous chemicals

• Toxicogenomic study for elucidating action mechanisms of hazardous chemicals

Management of Hazardous Chemicals in Industrial Complexes

• Pollution reduction technologies for industrial complexes

• Management options for industrial complexes

Transboundary/National/Regional/Local Transport of Air Pollutants

• Toxic chemical transport in dust from mining, oil industries, industries in Ghana and ECOWAS sub – region.

This thematic programme aims to systematically collect data on levels and types of air pollutants in Ghana. The data collected is expressed in terms of air quality index (AQI), which is used to advocate for the protection of public, environment and compliance to regulatory framework. Currently we have air quality stations in mining communities, oil and gas rich fringe communities; and communities along landfill and waste dump sites.

Air quality parameters monitored are:

• SOx

• NOx

• Black carbon,

• CH4

• Particulate Matter (PM2.5, PM5, PM10,)

• Heavy Metals

• VOCs

• BTEX

• CN-

• 
  

Mining Advocacy:

In the mining sector, issues that CEIA works on include but not limited to the following:

▪ Artisanal small-scale gold mines advocacy

• Influence policies that governs AGSM sector in Ghana with the view of promoting local economic development

• The integration, adoption and implementation of the Minamatta Convention in AGSM sector in Ghana

▪ Mining and climate change advocacy

• Conduct scientific investigation into the linkages between climate changes, water quality and food security in mining communities in Ghana.

• Conduct scientific investigation into linkages between climate change and its impacts on human health

▪ Mining and environmental health advocacy

• Capacity building on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) as a decision tool by mining communities.

• Land, soil and air pollution

• Degradation and destruction of the forest cover resulting in loss of flora and fauna

• Water pollution leading to the death of some rivers which has serious health implications on the communities

• Dumping mine rock waste/mine waste on fertile lands

• Acid mine drainage caused by exposed metals from mining rendering surrounding environment acidic

• Problems associated with abandoned mine pits and cyanide containment ponds which continuously seep into the environment

▪ Gender, Social Exclusion and other vulnerabilities associated with mining

• CEIA advocacy works are aimed at addressing the following:

• Loss of income to take care of the sick people in the family as well as people living with HIV and disabled persons

• Loss of forest goes with loss of income for women, who engage in the harvesting of non-forest timber products and sell them as their regular source of income.

• Pollution of water streams and rivers increases work load of women and children as they have to travel long distance in search of potable water for household chores

• Broken homes and its associated problems with single parents

▪ Large-scale mining

• Advocacy around ‘Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC)’ issues within the large-scale mining sector

▪ Human health and human rights issues

• Linkages between mining and its attended negative health impacts e.g. cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory tract diseases, etc.

• Establishing linkages between exposure to neurotoxins and increased school dropout rate in mining communities

In the emerging oil and gas sector, CEIA is engaged in the following activities but not limited to:

• Build their capacity of fisher folks towards minimizing /avoiding negative impacts of oil exploration on fisheries?

• Developing and discussion on alternative livelihood programme for the fisher folk.

• Gender issues and how it affects food security as livelihoods of fisher folk

• Analyse the policy framework for fisheries governance in Ghana to ascertain whether it adequately accounts for local cultural gender dynamics.

• Research into how oil operations will impact the heterogeneous women groups in fishing communities. Heterogeneity is reflected in the educational levels, income levels, scales of commerce, and social networks among others.

• Educate residents of oil rich communities to understand the local content bill/law and how they can participate in it.

• Use of ESIA toolkits in oil and gas advocacy

CEIA activities in this sector includes but not limited to;

• Educating students and the general public on causes, effects, mitigation and adaptation options to climate change.

• Conducting of extensive research to assessing the impacts of climate change on food security, health, water resources, etc and how it will affect the vulnerable in society.

• Build of adaptive capacities of vulnerable in society to deal with the effects of climate change.

In the water sector, CEIA is working on but not limited to:

• Establishment of water quality data for all water bodies in the country.

• Good water governance and integrated water resource management (IWRM)

• Deteriorating water quality

• Conflicts in use of water resources

• Uncoordinated approach to water issues

• Inadequate legal and regulatory mechanisms

• Inadequate or lack of reliable data & information for water resources management

• Over emphasis on technical solutions; and

• Little focus on environmental and social impacts

• Design and development water treatment plants to remove fluoride and other toxic chemicals in drinking water.

• Building a participatory process to allow consensual institution-building within local politics

• Awareness-raising and institutional support such as the reinforcement of the municipalities’ management and control capabilities, in-house organisational restructuring or the development of transparency and accountability practices through the involvement of local civil society organisations.

• Water resources protection and pollution prevention including preliminary studies to assess the state of water resources and necessity and scale of infrastructure developments