The Ghannouch delegation, in the governorate of Gabès, was again affected by a health incident on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Twelve inhabitants were hospitalized for breathing difficulties, while three workers from the phosphoric acid complex were evacuated to the university hospital.
This incident occurs only a week after first intoxication on September 9, which affected around thirty people to Ghannouch, Chatt Essalem and Bouchemma, victims of toxic gas emissions. The Tunisian forum for economic and social rights (FTDES) had denounced the repetition of these accidents and pointed out the responsibility of the authorities and the industrialists.
Authorities’ reaction
Faced with this situation, the Governor of Gabès summoned, yesterday an emergency meeting bringing together industrialists, experts from the National Agency for Environmental Protection and Regional Services. Polluting companies were ordered to present, within two weeks, an action plan in accordance with environmental standards. The governor insisted: “The programs submitted will be closely monitored. Companies must fully assume their responsibilities and no longer exceed regulatory thresholds. »»
For several years, citizen collectives such as “stop pollution” or “we want to live” has denounced the situation, qualifying the region as “ecocide”. For the FTDES, these incidents are not isolated. Since 2021, several industrial dramas have struck the region, including the explosion of an asphalt factory which had claimed the lives of six workers.
They all denounce the weakness of security standards and the dilapidation of infrastructure, as well as the “systematic abandonment” of the region by the Ministries of the Environment and Industry.
