Eco-Materials Centre open for business

The centre, which is the company’s first centre in France, sits on a 3.4 hectare site and can receive up to 160,000m³ of materials per year. It offers several sediment and soil treatment techniques, including mechanical dewatering using filter presses, dewatering through active lagooning particle size separation (cycloning, de-sanding, screening), biological treatment and physico-chemical treatment.

“We are very proud to introduce in France a new response for the treatment of contaminated sediments and soils,” said Walter De Jonghe, director, Envisan. “The mission of our new processing centre is the valorisation of non-submersible sediments originating from dredging operations, as well as polluted soils coming from groundwork sites in the construction and public works sector.”

“The centre is designed to meet all applicable environmental protection standards and complies with the strictest traceability requirements. The centre is also fitted with its own water treatment plant,” he added.

The centre is divided into different zones, each offering a phase in the processing flow. The dredged sediments are brought in by road or marine transport and are directed towards the pre-processing and lagooning zone for dewatering. Dewatered materials are then transported to a waterproof platform in the processing and temporary storage area, where further treatment can be carried out. After treatment, the eco-materials produced can be valorised in different applications.

The polluted soils can also be brought in by road or maritime transport in the temporary storage area, which are then subjected to natural treatment of chemical treatment after screening.

Materials requiring more specific treatment can be grouped, then forwarded to other appropriate processing centres.