AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS SOCIO-ENVIRONNEMENTAUX DE L’EXPLOITATION MINIERE ET DE LA PRODUCTION CHIMIQUE DES ICS A DAROU KHOUDOSS, MBORO ET ENVIRONS

This community audit documents the socio-environmental impacts of the mining and chemical production activities of Industries Chimiques du Sénégal (ICS) in the communes of Mboro, Darou Khoudoss, and surrounding areas. The report identifies significant violations of human rights, including the right to a healthy environment and the right to health, caused by atmospheric, soil, and water pollution, as well as land dispossession and inadequate compensation for displaced populations.

• The operations of Industries Chimiques du Sénégal (ICS) have caused severe atmospheric pollution through gas leaks, dust, and smoke, which have led to the necrosis of plants and the rapid corrosion of residential roofing. Scientific analysis in Mboro revealed that metallic residues downwind of acid plants were 12 times higher (28,400 Ug/l) than those upwind (2,235 Ug/l), and fluoride levels were over 100 times greater downwind (average 15,050 µg/L) compared to upwind (average 149 µg/L).
• Soil pollution is prevalent due to the discharge of yellow sulfur from transport trucks and high concentrations of phosphorus and cadmium. In Gade, phosphorus levels were recorded at 2,211 mg/kg, which is more than four times the World Health Organization (WHO) admissible limit of 500 to 800 mg/kg.
• Water pollution is caused by the direct discharge of fluosilicic acid into the sea at Weuta beach without prior neutralization and the storage of gypsum waste on the ground, which risks infiltrating the water table. Phosphorus levels in the sea at Weuta were found to exceed WHO standards by more than 10 times (0.15).
• Communities report recurring health issues attributed to pollution, including acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, skin and eye irritation, and cardiovascular diseases. A specific case from 2014 involved a child who suffered severe injuries following a sulfuric acid explosion, resulting in medical costs of 4 million FCFA.
• Agricultural livelihoods have been severely compromised by gas leaks and dust, leading to massive crop losses and plant necrosis. In the Tobène mine area, over 1,500 hectares of agricultural land were absorbed by the mine between 2000 and 2020, contributing to a loss of income for local populations.
• There is a significant lack of transparency and access to environmental information. Requests for the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the ICS coal power plant and studies on the toxicity of effluents discharged into the sea have remained unanswered or were denied by the administration.
• Urban traffic in Mboro is heavily impacted by ICS trucks, with an estimated 3,500 passages per week (approximately 20 trucks per hour). This has led to road degradation, noise pollution, and fatal accidents, with at least six deaths recorded between 2018 and 2022.
• The expansion of the mining front has led to the displacement of several villages, including Ndoyène, Mbaar DIOP, and Mbaar Ndiaye. Tensions persist due to compensation rates that communities describe as 'derisory' and insufficient to maintain their standard of living, leading some farmers to abandon agriculture entirely.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS SOCIO-ENVIRONNEMENTAUX DE L’EXPLOITATION MINIERE ET DE LA PRODUCTION CHIMIQUE DES ICS A DAROU KHOUDOSS, MBORO ET ENVIRONS. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Audit-Communautaire-Mboro-VF.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS SOCIO-ENVIRONNEMENTAUX DE L’EXPLOITATION MINIERE ET DE LA PRODUCTION CHIMIQUE DES ICS A DAROU KHOUDOSS, MBORO ET ENVIRONS. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Audit-Communautaire-Mboro-VF.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS SOCIO-ENVIRONNEMENTAUX DE L’EXPLOITATION MINIERE ET DE LA PRODUCTION CHIMIQUE DES ICS A DAROU KHOUDOSS, MBORO ET ENVIRONS |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Audit-Communautaire-Mboro-VF.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticendaudit, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS SOCIO-ENVIRONNEMENTAUX DE L’EXPLOITATION MINIERE ET DE LA PRODUCTION CHIMIQUE DES ICS A DAROU KHOUDOSS, MBORO ET ENVIRONS}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Audit-Communautaire-Mboro-VF.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }