Galamsey: It’s impacts on health and the environment; the way forward

Generations unborn are going to suffer from long-term health implications of toxic chemicals such as mercury as these heavy metals pollute surface and underground waters that from the long term health implications that would not manifest immediately but in the near future.

Mercury apart from its advantage of helping in the construction of very important health instruments, it poses a greater health risk should it find it way in the human body with its ability to destroy the central nervous system in the matter of days. Miners use mercury in the form of mercury powder and the pollution caused to surface and underground water are highly toxic to humans.

Ghanaians are now faced with the problem of drinking and inhaling of gaseous mercury; immediately this gaseous mercury mixes with the blood, it has the potency because of the volume to permeate the blood brain barrier disrupting the structure and functioning, causing electrolyte imbalances, and serious psychological and physiological damages to the sufferer.
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