Emergency Meeting Held to Address Environmental Crisis in Mdhilla
An emergency meeting was held on Tuesday at the Gafsa governorate headquarters to address the deteriorating environmental situation in the Mdhilla delegation, affected by toxic emissions from the Mdhilla 1 plant, which is part of the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT). The meeting, chaired by Governor Slim Ferrouja, brought together representatives from regional administrations, the local council, and concerned authorities. The objective was to find concrete solutions to limit the polluting emissions from the industrial unit.
Environmental Diagnosis and Rehabilitation Project Relaunched
Among the decisions made:
- A comprehensive environmental diagnosis will be conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Environment and the National Waste Management Agency (ANGED).
- A technical monitoring committee will be activated to propose sustainable corrective measures.
- The rehabilitation project for the sulfuric acid production unit, which has been blocked since 2019, will be relaunched. The call for tenders is now scheduled for November 2025. This project aims to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions to 2.6 kg per ton of sulfuric acid, while improving the efficiency of the chemical process.
The total cost of the project is 80 million dinars, financed by the French Development Agency (AFD). To date, equipment worth 20 million dinars has already been acquired. The governor also announced an additional envelope of 50 million dinars dedicated to support projects to strengthen sanitation efforts and improve the living environment in Mdhilla.
Local Council's Urgent Complaint to Authorities
This mobilization follows an urgent complaint filed by the Mdhilla local council with the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Health. The council demands an in-depth investigation into the causes of the recent toxic gas emissions, which it considers dangerous to public health. According to the complaint, these emissions have caused chronic diseases, psychological disorders, air, water, and soil pollution, severely affecting the inhabitants in terms of health, social, and economic aspects. The local council urgently demands the installation of a gas emission filtration system, which has been requested since 2018 without success.
Recent Incidents
For reference, on September 11, several cases of asphyxiation were reported among residents following a gas leak from the plant's production units. The affected individuals were taken to the Mdhilla local hospital, where they received the necessary care.
