Toxic Emissions Choking Gabès Result from Specific Technical Failures within the Chemical Group's Facilities
In a statement made on October 17, 2025, to RTCI, Ridha Sghiri, former director of the Gafsa Phosphate Company, identified two main causes behind the health crisis affecting the region: poor sealing of reaction enclosures and incorrect dosing of the chemicals used. The expert explained that any chemical reaction must imperatively take place in an enclosure totally isolated from the external environment. According to him, when an excess of one or more reactants occurs, toxic emissions immediately spread into the atmosphere, putting the local population in danger. This situation testifies to a failed control of industrial processes within the plant.
Causes of the Crisis
- Poor sealing of reaction enclosures
- Incorrect dosing of chemicals used
Consequences of the Crisis
The situation has led to a surge in intoxication cases among the inhabitants of Gabès, who are urgently demanding the immediate closure of the industrial site.
Proposed Solution
To remedy this environmental and health catastrophe, Ridha Sghiri recommends a strict surveillance protocol. He emphasizes the need to check the sealing of enclosures and the dosing of chemical reactants daily, or even continuously throughout the day. Without these rigorous controls, the former official warns against a complete deterioration of the facilities, which would require their complete replacement.
Financial Implications
This perspective, however, raises a significant financial problem. Ridha Sghiri recalls that industrial facilities of this scale cost a fortune and that their renewal would require considerable financial resources. He nonetheless advocates for an exact and complete diagnosis of the current state of the chemical group's facilities to be established before any decision is made.
Urgent Need for Action
These technical revelations come as the number of intoxication cases explodes among the inhabitants of Gabès, who are insisting on the immediate closure of the industrial site. The situation requires urgent attention and action to prevent further harm to the population and the environment.
