The Minister of Environment, Habib Abid, emphasized during a visit to the governorate of Gabès on Tuesday the need to revive and complete, as soon as possible, stalled projects in the field of air pollution control.
Regarding the issue of phosphogypsum discharge from the phosphate industry into the sea, the minister stated that this substance will be included among the materials that can be valorized, which will help end the pollution of the sea.
On the subject of treated wastewater, Abid announced that the tertiary wastewater treatment project will be funded by a Japanese loan of approximately 70 million dinars and is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.
The minister also mentioned that an agreement would soon be reached to promote the disposal of construction waste, which is responsible for several environmental issues.
During his visit, Abid toured several sites, including the phosphogypsum dump at Essalem Beach, units of the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT), the Gabès River channeling works, the Ghannouch air quality measurement station, the Metouia Urban Park (94 hectares), the Ras El Oued tourist area in Chenni, and the seawater desalination plant in Zarrat.
He also chaired the regional environmental council, during which participants called for the resolution of urgent environmental problems and the enforcement of decisions announced in ministerial councils. They cited, for example, the relocation of polluting units of the GCT and the installation of new units away from urban areas, as well as the immediate cessation of phosphogypsum discharge into the sea.
