The Ministry of the Environment (MdE) has announced an immediate and indefinite suspension of all sand mining activities across the localities of Pèlerin, Laboule, and Boutilier, citing severe ecological risks discovered within these vulnerable sectors of the Pétion-Ville commune.
According to an official ministry press release, technical evaluations conducted by the Departmental Directorate of the Ouest, the Environmental Inspection and Surveillance Directorate (DISE), and the National Office for Environmental Assessment (BNEE) revealed critical hillside instability, accelerated soil erosion, and imminent landslide threats capable of endangering local populations and public infrastructure. The MdE noted that these specific extraction sites had previously faced operational restrictions in 2012, 2016, 2021, and 2025. In response to ongoing non-compliance, the ministry announced a new slate of enforcement measures, including mandatory meetings with site operators, a comprehensive overhaul of permitting procedures, the drafting of an inter-institutional regulatory protocol, updated environmental impact assessments, and community awareness campaigns.
