“People are dumping it directly into the river ... according to the UN Environment Programme. In Senegal alone, artisanal mines are estimated to release between 12 and 16 metric tons of mercury ...

What did the nations of Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, the Republic of Congo and Sudan have in common, ...

holds up a bag of mercury at her home in the Kedougou region of Senegal on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Credit: AP/Annika Hammerschlag “If it hurt right away, like a knife, people would stop.