Fuheis After Lafarge: A Timeline of Contamination and Contested Land

A documented case of environmental damage, legal ambiguity, and unrehabilitated land

This page presents verified findings, legal references, and ongoing developments related to Lafarge’s former cement operations in Al Fuheis, Jordan, and the land and environmental issues that remain unresolved.

The situation is ongoing, with evidence continuing to emerge.

Watch the Video

A full overview of the Lafarge case in Fuheis

Video Summary of events prior to the Auction announced November 20th 2025
(Interview conducted October 2025)

What Happened in Fuheis?

In 1998, the French multinational Lafarge began acquiring shares in the Jordanian Cement Factory, eventually becoming its majority shareholder and operational controller. Over the next 15 years, Lafarge oversaw aggressive industrial activity in Al Fuheis, including unregulated quarrying, high-pollution fuel burning, and harmful waste management.

A 2008 environmental study revealed high levels of lead contamination across Fuheis. By 2026, further testing confirmed the presence of hexavalent chromium (Cr VI) — a toxic carcinogen. Groundwater sources, including Al-Alali Spring, were found polluted. The company also attempted to burn fuels such as petcoke, triggering widespread public opposition. Despite these harms, Lafarge made no effort to clean up or rehabilitate the land. When the plant shut down in 2013, the company was still in talks with the Municipality of Fuheis to draft an environmental remediation plan — but abruptly filed for insolvency after reporting massive profits the previous year (from its other factory in Southern Jordan), walking away from its responsibilities.

As part of the insolvency proceedings, 320 dunums of land were transferred to the banks, approved by the Governor, to settle Lafarge’s debts. Shortly after, on 20 November 2025, Lafarge announced a public auction of the remaining land — thousands of dunums — without notifying the people of Fuheis. The auction was published quietly in print media, with a 13-day bidding window, and placed full environmental rehabilitation liability on any buyer, effectively absolving Lafarge. The auction failed after the Municipality of Fuheis refused to approve the transfer of land titles. But on 10 December 2025, it was confirmed that Lafarge had privately sold its shares — and thus the land — to real estate developer Ziyad Al Manaseer, who has since announced plans for a large development project.

Today, the land remains contaminated, unrehabilitated, and at risk of misuse. The people of Fuheis continue to demand environmental justice, land restoration, and a voice in deciding how their land — and legacy — will be treated.

Lafarge’s conduct in Fuheis: A Summary of Environmental and Corporate Violations

Environmental Harm and Contamination

Widespread Soil and Water Pollution

A 2008 study confirmed dangerous levels of lead throughout Al Fuheis. In 2026, updated testing revealed hexavalent chromium (Cr VI) — a toxic, carcinogenic compound — in the soil.

Aquifer Contamination

The Al-Alali Spring, a key local water source, was found polluted due to industrial runoff linked directly to Lafarge’s operations.

Air and Public Health Risks

Lafarge attempted to burn petcoke and other hazardous fuels, prompting strong community resistance due to the health risks of airborne toxins.

Destruction of Landscape and Ecosystems

Decades of unregulated quarrying, blasting, and excavation permanently damaged Fuheis’ topography and ecological balance.

Encroachment on Protected Land

The company exceeded its licensed land boundaries, using buffer zones illegally and breaching zoning regulations.

Obstruction of Public Infrastructure

Lafarge’s activities directly destroyed the planned Fuheis Ring Road corridor, halting long-term urban development and mobility projects.

Failure to Rehabilitate or Exit Responsibly

No Decommissioning or Impact Studies

Lafarge shut down its operations in 2013 without conducting required environmental impact assessments, decommissioning reports, or risk evaluations.

No Remediation or Rehabilitation Efforts

Despite its long-term damage, the company did not undertake any cleanup, land restoration, or containment of contaminated zones.

Abandonment of Hazardous Infrastructure

Industrial machinery, materials, and physical structures were left behind, posing safety, environmental, and visual hazards.

No Community Compensation

Lafarge provided no restitution or compensation to the Fuheis municipality or residents for environmental degradation or lost land use.

Corporate Misconduct and Evasion of Accountability

Bad-Faith Negotiations

While negotiating an environmental remediation plan with the Municipality of Fuheis, Lafarge withheld its intention to file for insolvency, undermining trust and transparency.

The negotiated plan: https://jordantimes.com/news/local/fuheis-municipality-approves-lafarge-investment-plan-dozens-residents-protest-project

Insolvency filing: https://www.globalcement.com/news/13147-lafarge-jordan-files-for-insolvency

Transfer of 320 Dunums to Banks

As part of its debt settlement, 320 dunums were handed over to banks — approved by the Governor — without community input.

Public Auction Without Notice

On 20 November 2025, Lafarge announced a public auction of the remaining thousands of dunums, without informing residents. The 13-day auction window excluded the community from participating.

Unfair Auction Terms

Bidders were required to assume full environmental rehabilitation responsibility, allowing Lafarge to evade cleanup obligations.

Private Share Sale to Developer

After the auction failed, Lafarge sold its shares — and the land — to developer Ziyad Al Manaseer on 10 December 2025, bypassing public oversight and legal accountability.

What was left behind- Aftermath & Abandonment:

Extensively Demolished and Scarred Land

Large portions of Fuheis were left as extraction zones, stripped of topsoil, vegetation, and natural geological formations due to decades of unregulated quarrying and blasting.

Abandoned Industrial Equipment and Structural Ruins

Lafarge left behind heavy machinery, cement infrastructure, storage silos, and incomplete structures, all without safe disposal, dismantling, or environmental neutralization.

Barbed Wire Fencing Enclosing Thousands of Dunums

Vast tracts of land — much of it adjacent to residential and public areas — remain inaccessible due to perimeter fencing and barbed wire, restricting community mobility and visual access to areas once open to locals.

Persistent Soil and Groundwater Contamination

Known toxic substances, including lead, heavy metals, and industrial byproducts, remain in the soil and have leached into local water systems. No remediation efforts were undertaken prior to abandonment.

Chemical and Mineralogical Characteristics of Dry Deposition in the Surrounding of a Cement Factory in Jordan

Cement Use of Tree Bark to test for metals study

Assessment of Air Pollutants Emissions

Abandoned Facilities with Safety Hazards

Exposed concrete, sharp metal structures, unsecured openings, and degrading industrial remnants pose public safety risks, particularly to children, hikers, and nearby residents.

Disruption of Urban Planning and Infrastructure Development

Lafarge's unauthorized land use destroyed the proposed Fuheis ring road corridor, eliminating a legally approved public project and compromising the town’s long-term infrastructure planning.

Zero Rehabilitation, Compensation, or Community Investment

No funds, efforts, or in-kind contributions were made toward environmental restoration, public health mitigation, or local development following Lafarge’s exit.

Unresolved Ownership and Land Use Disputes

Land was transferred via share sales without public consultation or oversight, resulting in legal ambiguity over land purpose, use rights, and responsibility for existing damage.

Visual and Psychological Blight

The site continues to symbolize abandonment, exploitation, and exclusion. Residents report a loss of cultural dignity, civic morale, and trust in institutional protections.

Loss of Community Access to Formerly Shared Land

Land historically connected to Fuheis’ cultural and agricultural life is now inaccessible, fenced, and under disputed private control — severing generational ties to place.

IMPACT ON FUHEIS — PRESENT & FUTURE

A Community Left Behind: The Ongoing Consequences of Lafarge’s Actions

Lafarge’s legacy in Fuheis did not end with the closure of its cement operations — it lives on in the soil, water, economy, and social fabric of the town. More than a decade after the company’s exit, the environmental, infrastructural, legal, and cultural consequences remain unresolved — and in some cases, are accelerating.

This is not a closed case. It is a living crisis.

🌍 Environmental Impact: A Contaminated Landscape

Persistent Soil and Water Contamination

Extensive environmental testing confirms that lead, heavy metals, and carcinogenic Hexavalent Chromium (Cr VI) remain embedded in Fuheis' soil and water table. These pollutants pose a serious and ongoing risk to human health, agriculture, and ecosystems.

Poisoned Springs and Aquifers

The Al-Alali Spring, once a key water source, is no longer safe. Pollutant infiltration from Lafarge’s industrial waste has rendered parts of Fuheis’ natural water network unfit for use.

Unrehabilitated Hazard Zones

Vast areas remain in a post-industrial disaster state — scarred by deep craters, stripped of vegetation, and scattered with dangerous industrial debris. These sites pose direct risks to public safety, especially for children and nearby residents.

Ecosystem Collapse

Years of quarrying and blasting have devastated the region’s natural balance. Wildlife has disappeared. Vegetative recovery is stalled. Ecological regeneration has been left to chance.

🏘️ Community Impact: Lives, Homes, and Futures at Risk

Health and Public Safety Threats

Residents face increased exposure to toxic metals and airborne pollutants, with no access to testing, healthcare support, or compensation. The health risks are long-term, invisible, and unacknowledged.

Loss of Cultural Heritage

Fuheis is a 2,000-year-old Christian minority town. The unchecked sale and potential overdevelopment of its land threaten not just its environment, but its identity — putting a historic population at risk of displacement.

Psychosocial Trauma and Mistrust

The lack of closure, transparency, or accountability continues to deepen mistrust in institutions, fracture community cohesion, and fuel an enduring sense of abandonment.

🏗️ Infrastructure and Governance Breakdown

Strain on Core Services

Fuheis already suffers from under-capacity roads, sewage systems, and utilities. If large-scale development proceeds on Lafarge’s former land without comprehensive planning, it will collapse the town’s infrastructure.

Blocked Urban Development

Lafarge’s illegal land use destroyed the planned ring road corridor, a critical public infrastructure project. As a result, Fuheis is cut off from future mobility and development opportunities.

Legal and Administrative Paralysis

The land transfers, auction, and share sales have left a patchwork of unclear ownership, weak enforcement, and unresolved liability. This legal ambiguity blocks investment, planning, and recovery.

Why This Still Matters — Right Now

This is not a legacy issue. It is an ongoing emergency with real-world impacts on land, law, health, heritage, and human rights. Every day that passes without accountability deepens the damage — and the cost of recovery.

The people of Fuheis are not asking for charity — they are demanding justice.

LEGAL & REGULATORY VIOLATIONS (EU / INTERNATIONAL)

Alleged Violations of EU Environmental & Corporate Responsibility Laws by Lafarge

1. 🇫🇷 French Duty of Vigilance Law (2017)

This law requires large French companies to identify and prevent harm to the environment and human rights—not just in France, but anywhere in the world where they operate.

Lafarge may have violated this law by:

Not assessing environmental risks in Fuheis properly
Not preparing or implementing a remediation plan
Not monitoring or reporting contamination impacts
Leaving polluted land and water behind with no clean-up or accountability

2. 🇪🇺 EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (2024)

This EU-wide law requires large companies operating in Europe to:

Find and prevent environmental and human rights harm
Fix damage when it happens
Report transparently about their risk management

Lafarge’s possible violations include:

No public or private due diligence process covering its operations in Fuheis
No actions taken to clean up contaminated sites or restore the land
No reporting on environmental damage or planned mitigation

The law includes liability for harm, even if it occurred outside the EU.

3. 🇪🇺 EU Sustainability Reporting Rules (CSRD)

All large EU-based companies must report environmental impacts and risk plans, including:

Climate effects
Pollution
Land use
Mitigation or rehabilitation strategies

Lafarge may have failed to:

Disclose environmental risks related to Fuheis
Report on known contamination and community health concerns
Outline any land restoration or cleanup plans

4. 🌍 International Corporate Responsibility Standards

Even if not strictly binding, Lafarge is expected to follow:

UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

5. 🇩🇪 German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG – 2023)

This law requires companies with German operations or suppliers to protect people and the environment throughout their supply chains.

Lafarge could be exposed under German law if:

It has active branches, projects, or sourcing through Germany
It failed to manage environmental harm in its global chain
It didn’t monitor or mitigate environmental risks in Jordan

WHY THIS MATTERS INTERNATIONALLY

1. Extraterritorial Reach of EU Laws

Both French and EU due diligence laws are designed to cover corporate activities and value chains, regardless of where harm occurs — meaning environmental damage in Jordan can trigger obligations under European corporate law if the parent company is French or operates substantially in the EU.

2. Civil Liability and Victim Compensation

Under the French Duty of Vigilance and the EU CSDDD, harmed communities could potentially seek judicial remedies and compensation in European courts for damages resulting from failure to comply with mandatory due diligence.

3. Business and Reputational Risk

Non‑compliance attracts formal enforcement actions, fines, and reputational harm — critical for multinational listings, investor scrutiny, and civil society campaigns.

4. Setting International Precedents

Cases alleging breaches of French and EU due diligence laws in extraterritorial contexts expand global corporate accountability, encouraging stronger protections for environmental justice and human rights beyond Europe.

Compounding Threat: Manaseer’s Real Estate Development on Lafarge’s Land

The proposed real estate project on the former Lafarge site introduces new and compounding risks to Fuheis — not as a separate issue, but as a direct escalation of the unresolved crisis.

Environmental and Infrastructure Strain

The land in question remains unrehabilitated, with known contamination from lead, heavy metals, and industrial waste — and no confirmed environmental clearance.
Despite this, large-scale residential development has been proposed without public input or comprehensive environmental review.
Infrastructure in Fuheis is already overburdened — roads, sewage systems, and utility networks are operating at or near capacity.
A project of this scale could introduce 1,000+ additional cars and hundreds of new residents, placing unsustainable pressure on core systems not designed to support rapid expansion.

Demographic Shifts and Cultural Displacement

Fuheis is a 2,000-year-old Christian minority town, with a deeply rooted civic identity and communal fabric.
Sudden and large-scale population shifts could lead to lasting changes in voter demographics, reducing the ability of long-established residents to retain municipal representation in future elections.
This threatens the long-term cultural presence of one of the oldest minority communities in the region — not by intent, but by unchecked scale and speed.

Civic and Psychological Impact

The community’s morale is already low after years of environmental damage, legal evasion, and exclusion from decision-making.
This development risks reinforcing the sense that local voices are being ignored, and that critical decisions about Fuheis’ future are being made without consent or transparency.
Without public consultation and planning safeguards, this project may deepen civic fragmentation and mistrust.

This is not about rejecting newcomers or development.
It is about ensuring that growth is:

Planned and studied, Environmentally safe, Civically inclusive, and Sustainable for the town’s infrastructure and identity.

Fuheis cannot carry the weight of a second crisis while the first remains unresolved.

EVIDENCE & DOCUMENTATION

Photos & Videos

Research & Environmental Data

Legal references

Directive (EU) 2024/1760 — Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
Directive (EU) 2022/2464 — Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
Loi n° 2017-399 du 27 mars 2017 — French Duty of Vigilance Law
Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz (LkSG) — German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act
UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs)
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

Media coverage

WHERE THINGS STAND NOW

What is being pursued:

We are resorting to European law to judge our case via the help of NGOs.

What is documented:

Evidence of abandonment (photo, video, drone footage), lead contamination studies, recent soil samples showing Cr(iv) and fuel pollutants, media reports, auction announcement and terms, Manaseer announcement of purchase.

What is still needed:

Environmental studies and evidence from private court cases dating back to 1998.

What accountability looks like:

Lafarge compensates Al Fuheis with what is needed to mitigate the damages caused to the environment and community over the years.

HOW TO HELP

Support the Cause

Strengthen the Case

Offer Expertise

Send Us a Message

DISCLAIMER

Materials presented for advocacy, research, and accountability purposes. Additional documentation available upon request.