Liberia: UBCAA Demands Independent Chemical Leak Probe in Bong County
The United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA) is urging Liberia's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Bong County Administration to conduct an immediate, independent environmental investigation into a reported chemical spill in Money Sweet Town. The incident, on January 18, 2026, involved a logistics vehicle transporting industrial chemicals, causing an alleged leak that led to health complications for over 120 residents and environmental contamination. UBCAA's calls follow a fact-finding mission and residents' rejection of an earlier assessment lacking independent lab testing.
On January 18, 2026, a chemical spill occurred in Money Sweet Town, Bong County, Liberia, when a logistics vehicle carrying industrial chemicals to the MNG Gold mining site caught fire, rupturing its container. Residents reported hazardous substances, possibly hydrochloric acid, contaminating soil and raising fears for nearby water sources, farmlands, and rubber plantations. Within 24 hours, approximately 122 residents, including women and children, experienced health issues like skin irritation and breathing difficulties.The United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA) conducted a fact-finding mission on January 27, 2026, confirming community concerns. UBCAA highlighted that their findings contradict an earlier joint assessment by the EPA and MNG Gold, which residents rejected for relying solely on visual inspection without independent laboratory testing. Consequently, UBCAA sent letters to the EPA and Bong County Superintendent.They urged the EPA to conduct independent lab tests on soil and water, publicly release findings, issue an Environmental Restoration Order, and deploy inspectors. To the county administration, UBCAA requested advocacy for scientific testing, transparent information for residents, support for remediation enforcement against MNG Gold, and a multi-stakeholder dialogue. UBCAA emphasized the right to a clean environment and offered its findings to support evidence-based remediation and public health protection, while awaiting written responses from both agencies.
