Researchers last year detected 3 tonnes of silver and 43 kg of gold in effluent and sludge from waste water treatment plants – amounting to around 3 million Swiss francs ($3.1 million).

But before people start hunting in their drains for jewellery, the government study said the tiny particles were likely to be mostly from the watchmaking, pharmaceuticals and chemical industries, which use the metals in their products and processes.

“You hear stories about an angry man or woman throwing jewellery down the toilet, but we didn’t find any rings, unfortunately,” report author Bas Vriens said on Thursday.

“The levels of gold or silver were very small, in the micrograms, or even nanograms, but when you add them up it’s pretty substantial.”

Researchers are now studying if it is worthwhile to extract the metals that end up in sewage sludge before usually being burnt, but so far it has not found to be cost-effective.

Higher levels of gold were found in the western Swiss region of Jura, believed to be linked to watchmakers that use the precious metal to decorate their expensive timepieces.

There was also a higher concentration in the southern canton of Ticino due to the gold refineries in the area. This was the only region where it might make sense to recover the metals, Vriens said.

Other trace elements including rare metals such as gadolinium – used in medical imaging – were also found by the scientists from the government’s Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG).

Their discovery is the latest example of wealthy Switzerland finding riches in unusual places.

Last month an investigation was launched after toilets at a Geneva bank and three restaurants were blocked by about $100,000 in high-denomination banknotes – a bit different from the huge fat mass that blocked an east London sewer.

The Swiss metal concentrations complied with regulations and were removed before humans drank the water again, the study said.

“It wouldn’t make sense for people to boil their tap water to recover gold or silver because it has already been filtered out before it re-enters the drinking water supply,” Vriens said.

–

Source: Reuters

The post Swiss flushed away about $3.1m in gold and silver in 2016 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Government owes the OMCs about 1.5 billion Ghana cedis.

According to them, they are unable to supply the petroleum products onto the market because the banks are failing to give them more money to do business.

The problem has led to an acute shortage of fuel in Accra.

Filling stations in Accra on Monday, turned away motorists as a result of the shortage.

Speaking to Citi News, the Chief Executive Officer and Industry Coordinator of the OMCs, Kwaku Agyeman Duah criticized government for the problem.

He said government’s decision to introduce fuel subsides was not encouraging development since it had failed to fulfill its promise of paying fuel subsidies.

“What is the essence of trying to say that you want to pay the subsidies when you don’t really pay the subsidies. That is irrelevant and that is why we find ourselves going into circles,”

“Where we are now, we are just gradually gravitating into a serious shortage and that will be something else. Is that what we call subsidies. That is irrelevant,” Mr. Duah said.

In that regard, Mr. Duah advised government to fulfill its promises to propel development.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Fuel shortage to get worse – OMCs appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.