EPA enforces shutdown of Empire Cement over alleged air pollution breaches

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has moved to enforce the shutdown of Empire Cement Ghana Ltd. at Weija in the Greater Accra region, over alleged air pollution breaches and violations of conditions attached to the company’s environmental permit.

The directive, contained in a notice dated September 14, 2026, follows several public complaints about alleged air pollution and nuisance linked to the company’s operations.

According to the EPA, its investigations found sustained emissions of visible particulate matter, gases and other pollutants from the factory.

In a statement issued, the Authority said the emissions had “negative implications for the environment, adjoining land uses and the public health”.

The EPA also found that Empire Cement had failed to submit its quarterly environmental monitoring returns, in breach of Condition 9.1 of its environmental permit.

The permit, identified as No. EPA/MID/EMP/CU 859/25/1013/01/0042947, sets out several environmental conditions the company is required to meet as part of its operations.

The Authority said the company had also failed to implement key conditions relating to the installation and maintenance of pollution control systems.

One of the requirements was for the company to install “appropriate State-of-the-Art pollution Control Systems” on all pollution discharge units to ensure compliance with the Ghana Standard for Environment and Health Protection requirements for ambient air quality and point source or stack emissions, GS 1236:2019.

The EPA said the failure to do so amounted to a breach of Condition 5.1(1)(a) of the environmental permit.

It further found that the existing pollution control systems and auxiliary equipment were not being maintained in the condition required to reduce air pollution and ensure compliance with permissible limits.

According to the Authority, the company was also required to effectively maintain all dust plants within the factory to prevent or minimise dust emissions into the external environment.

The EPA said this requirement had not been met.

It also cited a failure to ensure that pollution control systems remained operational at all times to meet the requirements of GS 1236:2019.

Based on these findings, the Authority said Empire Cement was in breach of Conditions 5.1(a), 5.1(h)(i), 5.1(h)(iv) and 9.1 of the schedule to its environmental permit.

The EPA has directed the company to take a number of steps before it can resume operations.

First, the company has been ordered to submit its quarterly environmental monitoring returns in accordance with the conditions of its permit by October 1, 2026.

It has also been directed to install appropriate state-of-the-art air pollution control systems.

The EPA said the new systems must ensure compliance with GS 1236:2019, which sets requirements for ambient air quality and point source or stack emissions.

The company has further been instructed to ensure that its existing pollution control systems and auxiliary equipment are in good working condition.

The Authority said this must be done to reduce air pollution and ensure that emissions remain within the permissible limits for fence-line air quality and point source or stack emissions.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Tags:  

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.