Legon,(Greater Accra) 4 Jan. '99,

Industries found to be polluting the environment will be made to pay for the full cost of clearance of their pollutants, Dr Peter Acquah, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has said. Beginning this year, the EPA will marshal all forces to check the conduct of both manufacturers and individuals whose activities contribute to environmental degradation. At a symposium on: "Environmental and Public Health education: the way forward," at Legon, Mr Acquah said a mining industry had been billed by the EPA to pay for the extra cost in clearing its pollutant in water bodies. He did not disclose the name of the industry but said it is in the Eastern Region. He called on individuals to volunteer information to the Agency, on industries and individuals whose activities contribute to environmental degradation, and gave the assurance that identities of such volunteers would be protected. Mrs Emelia Brew-Butler, senior programme officer of the EPA, said there should be a networking of all agencies involved in environmental and public education to achieve effectiveness.