By: TPA NewsDesk | www.thepointafricanews.com | Bong County, Liberia
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia says the hydrochloric acid spill reported near Money Sweet Town in Jorquelleh District #2, Bong County was localized, immediately contained, and — based on preliminary environmental assessments — is not expected to cause long‑term environmental or groundwater contamination.
The EPA made the announcement on Saturday evening at the Bong County Athletic and Social Intellectual Center in Gbarnga, where Dr. Emmanuel King‑Urey Yarkpawolo, Executive Director of the EPA, addressed the press and other stakeholders following an EPA‑led fact‑finding visit to the spill site on Friday, February 6, 2026.
According to EPA officials, the incident occurred on January 18, 2026, when a truck operated by a certified hazardous goods transporter was carrying hydrochloric acid to the MNG Gold Liberia site. The vehicle was involved in a roadside incident near Money Sweet Town, causing a container holding the corrosive substance to be compromised and resulting in a spill estimated at about 40 liters of hydrochloric acid, consistent with initial reporting on the incident.
MNG Gold Liberia deployed an emergency response team that quickly extinguished the fire, secured the area, and worked with EPA personnel to erect containment measures. The EPA confirmed that containment efforts, including soil neutralization and excavation of visibly affected earth, were carried out under its supervision and that no residual chemical was evident at the site during the visit.
EPA testing of soil and selected water sources in the immediate area did not identify chemical contamination associated with hydrochloric acid. In downstream soil samples, pH levels were within near‑neutral ranges, and hydrogeological assessments suggested it is unlikely the limited volume of spilled acid could migrate into groundwater or nearby wetlands, a finding the EPA noted during its site inspection.
Water drawn from a community hand pump also tested free of acid contamination and heavy metals. However, EPA microbiological tests detected significant bacterial contamination in that water, which the agency attributed to poor sanitation conditions in the area rather than chemical exposure. As a precaution, the EPA advised residents not to drink untreated water until it has been cleaned, chlorinated, and retested by appropriate health authorities.
The EPA said air quality testing was not conducted because hydrochloric acid in liquid form does not readily vaporize at environmental temperatures, especially given the limited volume spilled.
On reported illnesses and allegations of crop damage in the aftermath of the spill, the EPA reiterated that no scientific evidence currently links those health complaints to hydrochloric acid exposure. The agency emphasized that investigations into health outcomes fall under the statutory mandate of the Ministry of Health, and environmental impacts on agriculture should be assessed by the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant agencies.
In its statement, the EPA recommended that companies handling hazardous chemicals strengthen emergency response protocols, improve community risk communication, and enhance environmental compliance monitoring and emergency preparedness training. The agency said it will continue to monitor the area and enforce compliance with environmental laws.
The EPA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting both public health and the environment, underscoring that Liberia’s environmental regulations apply to all operators and that enforcement actions remain a core part of its mandate.
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