The French prefecture has urgently called for emergency measures at the Fibre Excellence paper pulp plant in Tarascon, Bouches-du-Rhône, which is currently undergoing judicial liquidation. The prefecture claims that the site's security, the safety of people present, and the surrounding area are no longer adequately protected. This concern stems from the shutdown of certain electrical systems in early September by the judicial liquidator, a decision made without the support of former employees. This action disrupted the plant's fire defense system and its wastewater treatment station, which is crucial for preventing chemical spills into the Rhône River. On September 1st, an accidental spill of 50 cubic meters of "black liquor"—a byproduct of paper production that contains various chemicals—occurred in a retention area. Additionally, 6 cubic meters of this substance were spilled into the now non-operational wastewater treatment station. The site still holds approximately 11 tons of wood and significant amounts of chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide, propane, and heavy fuel oil. The prefecture warns that these materials could lead to major fires or environmental contamination in the event of an accident. The CGT union delegate Jean-Michel Bulinge, a maintenance technician at the site for nearly a decade, stated that the judicial liquidator is acting independently and has been unyielding, even when it risks people's safety. Since the plant's liquidation on July 29, about 40 of the 270 former employees have been working around the clock to ensure the site's security until their contracts end in late August. Unions have since requested that some of these former employees be involved in security operations to better manage the risks, as they believe the current security measures are insufficient and under-resourced. The Regional Directorate for Environment, Housing, and Urban Planning (Dreal) will inspect the site on Friday to ensure the required safety measures are properly implemented, the prefecture confirmed. If the measures are not taken, the Dreal may issue formal reports that could result in administrative fines of up to 45,000 euros, with an additional 4,500 euros per day for each day the site remains non-compliant.