Summary:

On 15 November 2022, long-developing issues with waste management in the port city of Sfax came to a head as a trash fire burned, covering the city in smoke. Schools were closed and civil protection units fought the fire. On Thursday, 17 November, two major labor unions organized protests to express frustration with the situation, highlighting the impacts on community health as issues with air quality were widely reported.

Outlook:  

The waste management challenges are not new, with controversy brewing since 2021 over the closure of a dump site. This has led to increasing use of unofficial trash disposal sites which are more vulnerable to fire and other unmanaged ecological and health impacts. We will be watching developments in Sfax as additional protests and expressions of frustration by the community are likely on the horizon.