Toxic Gas Leak in Gabès Affects 30 Students Amid Ongoing Pollution Crisis
December 1, 2025283 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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The "Stop Pollution" campaign in Gabès, located in southeastern Tunisia, reported new instances of mass suffocation due to a toxic gas leak from a local chemical factory, an issue that has become alarmingly routine amid a continuing environmental and health crisis.
Local media outlets confirmed that approximately 30 students from a public educational institution were affected and were subsequently transported to a regional hospital by civil protection units for immediate medical care. This incident has sparked significant unrest among local residents.
Judicial Proceedings and Public Outcry
This event occurred just three days after the Gabès Court of First Instance addressed an urgent legal case filed by local attorneys seeking to halt operations at the polluting factory.
In recent months, residents of Gabès have organized a series of protests demanding the factory's closure. In response, the government has outlined plans to maintain and rehabilitate the factory's production units to mitigate gas emissions and enhance the environmental conditions in the area.
Government and Presidential Response
The Tunisian presidency and government have committed to finding immediate solutions to the pollution issue and have initiated projects aimed at reducing gas emissions. Additionally, the president has appointed a specialized committee to explore sustainable solutions for Gabès.
Environmental and Economic Challenges
Despite these initiatives, local residents and civil society groups continue to advocate for the factory's closure or the relocation of its operations to non-residential areas. They also demand the enforcement of a 2017 government decision to cease the dumping of "phosphogypsum" into the sea, alongside the establishment of new industrial units that comply with environmental safety standards.
Tunisian officials are confronted with a complex challenge, attempting to balance the community's demands for a healthier environment with the necessity of maintaining a phosphate factory that serves as a critical economic asset, providing thousands of jobs and contributing to fertilizer self-sufficiency and export revenues.
Local media outlets confirmed that approximately 30 students from a public educational institution were affected and were subsequently transported to a regional hospital by civil protection units for immediate medical care. This incident has sparked significant unrest among local residents.
Judicial Proceedings and Public Outcry
This event occurred just three days after the Gabès Court of First Instance addressed an urgent legal case filed by local attorneys seeking to halt operations at the polluting factory.
In recent months, residents of Gabès have organized a series of protests demanding the factory's closure. In response, the government has outlined plans to maintain and rehabilitate the factory's production units to mitigate gas emissions and enhance the environmental conditions in the area.
Government and Presidential Response
The Tunisian presidency and government have committed to finding immediate solutions to the pollution issue and have initiated projects aimed at reducing gas emissions. Additionally, the president has appointed a specialized committee to explore sustainable solutions for Gabès.
Environmental and Economic Challenges
Despite these initiatives, local residents and civil society groups continue to advocate for the factory's closure or the relocation of its operations to non-residential areas. They also demand the enforcement of a 2017 government decision to cease the dumping of "phosphogypsum" into the sea, alongside the establishment of new industrial units that comply with environmental safety standards.
Tunisian officials are confronted with a complex challenge, attempting to balance the community's demands for a healthier environment with the necessity of maintaining a phosphate factory that serves as a critical economic asset, providing thousands of jobs and contributing to fertilizer self-sufficiency and export revenues.
