Minister of Industry Clarifies Regarding Phosphogypsum Material

Fatima Thabet Cheboub, Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy, confirmed that the decision to consider phosphogypsum as a non-hazardous material and authorize its valorization stemmed from a scientific technical committee that brought together experts and senior academic officials, professors, researchers, and professionals from the Ministries of Industry, Environment, Justice, Agriculture, and Health in October 2023. During a general session held today, Wednesday, dedicated to answering questions from Members of Parliament, the minister explained that this committee conducted the necessary experiments and studied the technical aspects based on 150 references and scientific publications issued between 1995 and 2023 that addressed the material's physical, chemical, and radiological properties, as well as consulting the prevailing law in Tunisia and many other countries. The minister pointed out that the committee concluded that phosphogypsum does not emit radiation and is not classified as a hazardous material or a threat to citizens' health, but rather as a productive material, opening the door for its valorization. She suggested that members of the scientific committee be called before the Assembly of the Representatives of the People to provide further clarifications and assurances. She stated that the ministry gave the Gabes Chemical Group five years to present a realistic study on the matter, adding that valorizing this material would have impacts on several fields, such as the environmental field, as it will enable its recycling and thus its reuse in various sectors like construction and roads instead of dumping it in the sea, posing risks. A narrow ministerial council held on March 5, 2025, dedicated to reviewing the future program for developing phosphate production, transport, and conversion for 2025-2030, approved the removal of phosphogypsum from the list of hazardous wastes and its inclusion as a productive material to be used in various fields under set conditions, which was rejected by several civil society organizations, considering that it "threatens further environmental degradation."

TAP