Mining communities could be losing between Sh174 billion and Sh342 billion in earning potential every year due to mercury contamination on their farms, a study shows.
It was published in The Journal of Environmental Management.
The report is the first peer-reviewed analysis to estimate economic losses due to IQ damage from mercury pollution in Kenya and 14 other countries.
Researchers said they made the analysis after collecting hair samples from participants living near small-scale gold mines, a source named in the Minamata Convention on Mercury said.
It obligates governments to take action to minimise and eliminate mercury pollution to protect human health and the environment.
Researchers collected samples in the gold mining area of Masara, Migori, one of the poorest counties in Kenya.
Mercury exposure damages the nervous system, kidneys, and cardiovascular system.
At peak mining times, more than 20,000 miners work in the area. They use mercury to amalgamate gold and then dump the waste into rivers that serve as primary food sources for the surrounding communities.
“This study gives us just a small sample of the extent of the damage that is happening. The high cost of mercury contamination should trigger action to address pollution sources,” said Griffins Ochieng, Programmes Coordinator, Centre for Environment Justice and Development. “The Minamata Convention needs to be ratified and fully implemented to prevent lost earning potential.”