a new look at methanol montluÇon leads … new look at methanol montluÇon leads the way hope in...

THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND EVAPORATION-CRYSTALLIZATION

A NEW LOOK AT METHANOL MONTLUÇON LEADS THE WAY HOPE IN DETROIT

#02May 2013Pla et

SAUDI ARABIA

RIYADH RISES TO THE WATER CHALLENGE

NOW YOU CAN ALSO ENJOY PLANET ON YOUR TABLET.ANDROID AND IPAD COMPATIBLE

KEYWORD: PLANETMAG

#02May 2013Pla et

Sign up to receive every issue of Planet at

www.veolia.com

2013 May Planet #02 3

BUILDING OUR FUTURE

EDITORIAL

04

13

24

36

47

Facts Stateside PPP New Deal Electronic waste stepping up sorting Wastewater setting new standards in fi ltration Access to drinking water a cholera-free future

Solutions EMD Millipore transforms used methanol into a raw material Montluçon turns to an energy performance contract to save money

Horizons Saudi Arabia rises to the water challenge

Views Portfolio: A new look at Detroit, photo essay by Chris Maluszynski Portrait: Ibrahim Mayaki, a vision for Africa

VisionsIndustry: HPD evaporation and crystallization process Asteralis : decommisioning potentially hazardous sites BioData on green energy sources Neswatch: mining industry revamps its image. Illegal traffi c in e-waste

Every day, water, waste management and energy services help to more effectively treat pollution and preserve resources while optimizing production and improving quality of life. They are the services that are building our future. Successfully building our future means turning waste produced by one activity into raw materials for others. For example, a wastewater treatment plant in the US state of Connecticut has been reusing recycled methanol from an industrial site in Massachusetts for several months now. It also means cutting down on excessive consumption to make the most of the energy transition. In France, a city of 40,000 has decided to tackle its energy bill head on. As a result, the municipality has lowered energy consumption by more than 20% annually, reduced its green-house gas emissions and developed alternative energy solutions. We are also building our future by developing and rolling out water cycle management solutions to help the Saudi authorities meet the country’s needs—for the population, industry and agriculture—without increasing water stress and at an affordable price. Building our future means being ready to decommission potentially hazardous sites, particularly nuclear power plants as they near the end of their life cycle. It also means capitalizing on our renowned expertise in water treatment to help the mining and oil & gas industries responsibly manage this scarce resource. This new issue of Planet gives you a closer look at the people and initiatives that are building our future. We hope you will enjoy it.

The Planet Team

For an even more in-depth experience, try the smartphone extension to the magazine by scanning the QR codes as you read along.

Pla et#02

4 Planet #02 May 2013

FACTS

NORTH AFRICA VAST SOLAR AND WIND PROJECT The desert sun and coastal wind provide major sources of green energy that countries around the Mediterranean are exploring with increasing interest. Algeria, for instance, aims to produce as much electricity from renewable sources by 2020 as it obtains from natural gas today. Morocco is building the world’s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant. Tunisia has turned to photovoltaics and wind in a bid to quadruple its power generation capacity by 2050. This dynamic growth could lead to the creation of a huge Mediterranean “ring” of electricity production, spurring exports between the South and the North. The European Union could eventually import up to 20% of electricity produced using renewables from countries in North Africa. Work is ongoing to determine the feasibility of the project in line with the Mediterranean Grid Master Plan for 2020–2030, drawn up by MedGrid. www.medgrid-psm.com

© V

eoli

a W

ater

No

rth

Am

eric

a

WORLWIDE CIRCULAR ECONOMY COULD GENERATE SAVINGS According to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, consumer goods fi rms could save up to $700 billion by incorporating recycling into their business models. The report also gives an example of an additional profi t of up to $2 per hectoliter of beer that could be created in Brazil by selling brewers’ spent grains to farmers in the fi sh and livestock sectors. The UK could also generate an income stream of over $2 billion by collecting and processing food waste to generate biogas and return nutrients to the soil. www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/business/reports

WATER WEAVING The use of fabric to capture water from the air is an age-old technique used in desert and mountain regions that has been boosted by the development of a more effi cient material. Covered in a layer of polymer, the new fabric is similar to a sponge and can trap up to 3.4 liters of water vapor as the temperature cools, then release the water as the temperature rises. In addition to meeting demand for drinking water, the experimental collection system could also irrigate crops if it proves viable on a larger scale.

Methane hydrates could be the next key development in the energy industry but their real potential has yet to be confi rmed: although estimated volumes are close to 1.2 trillion cubic meters (more than reserves of gas, oil and coal combined), extracting these unconventional hydrocarbons trapped in ice crystals is still diffi cult and dangerous for operators and the environment.

Warming to wastewater Turning a treatment plant into a source of natural resources: this is a challenge that the Ginestous-Garonne treatment plant in Toulouse, France, has successfully overcome with the Energido process, which uses waste-water to generate energy. Now in use at the site, Veolia Water’s technology has made it possible to retrieve the heat from treated waste-water to warm 15,000 square meters of space in one of the facility’s buildings. This translates to substantial con-sumption decreases: 65,000 kWh and 20,000 cubic meters of drinking water are saved each year, and 34 metric tons of CO

2 emissions

are avoided annually.

New DealStateside PPP

How do you upgrade your infrastructure, create 445 jobs and retain ownership of facilities without adversely affecting the municipal budget? The city of Rialto and Rialto Water Services (RWS) in southern California have done just that in signing an extremely innovative 30-year public-private partnership contract—something rarely seen in the United States. The city chose Veolia Water North America, which has been operating the Rialto wastewater collection system and treatment plant for the past nine years. The partnership’s “blue growth” strategy combines sustainable water management with support for economic and social development. Similar approaches could now be adopted in other cities facing the problem of aging infrastructure.

31% The drop in the price of natural gas in the United States in 2012.

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Ro

do

lph

e E

sch

er


FRANCE THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT Sustainable growth is on the horizon for Rougeline tomatoes in France’s Aquitaine region. Committed to developing their business and making

it more competitive, the Paysans de Rougeline—a group of 159 farmers who grow the majority of tomatoes produced in the southern half of France (58,000 metric tons a year)—will benefi t from eight hectares of greenhouses heated with thermal energy from a landfi ll for non-hazardous waste, equipped with a biogas production system. The heat given off during the process of converting the gas to electricity will be used to warm the greenhouses. Thanks to Veolia Environmental Services, which operates the facility, between 3,000 and 4,000 metric tons of tomatoes will gently ripen in these new surroundings starting in 2014, ensuring long-term health and local jobs for the sector.

©Fancy


FACTS

PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FIX IT FIRST! In his State of the Union speech in

February, President Obama underscored the urgent need to repair the country’s major infrastructure. This is excellent news, according to the Water Environment Federation and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, who see the Fix It First program as an opportunity to refocus environmental concerns on water issues. The two bodies have highlighted the importance of ensuring the ongoing performance of water and wastewater facilities in the face of extreme weather and climate events. According to a study by the American Water Works Association, the cost of restoring and expanding this infrastructure—most of which is reaching the end of its useful life—could top $1 trillion by 2035.

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to li

bra

ry -

Sal

ah B

enac

er

Stepping up sortingElectronic waste

Our everyday lives are filled with devices like house-hold appliances, computer hardware and all man-ner of screens... Yet these same devices also produce a growing amount of electrical and electronic waste. This is an issue that has led to a campaign for a better ap-proach to recycling waste electrical and electronic equip-ment (WEEE). For example, a French subsidiary of Veolia Environmental Services, Triade Electronique, is seek-ing to scale up its recycling capability, especially for flat screens. A new industrial sorting process will make it pos-sible to process a flat screen in just five minutes, which is a huge improvement on the current time of 30 minutes. The initiative is a response to measures adopted by the European Parliament in 2012 to enforce stricter laws on WEEE: 85% of waste from electrical and electronic equip-ment sold in France in the past three years will need to be collected by 2019. European deputies are also aiming to clamp down on illegal exports through tighter border controls, paving the way for an increase in the amount of waste to be processed within the EU.

$1 trillionThe amount of money that India is willing to invest over a fi ve-year period to upgrade and develop its infrastructure, with a focus on water supply, waste treatment, transportation, renewable energy and sustainable development.

FOOD PRODUCTION WORLDWIDE WASTE Between 30% and 50% of the four billion metric tons of food produced on the planet is lost before reaching a human stomach, according to a report published by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) in the UK. These fi gures confi rm fi ndings by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which estimated losses at 1.3 billion metric tons in 2011. There are many reasons for this waste and they span the entire chain of food production. As a result of underlying causes such as strict sell-by dates, promotional off ers, demand for perfect presentation, doubts over farming practices and inappropriate storage, food wastage is a growing problem that aff ects not just the food eaten but also the resources involved to produce that food. 550 billion cubic meters of water are wasted globally every year growing crops that never reach the consumer.

To assess air quality in homes, a French start-up has launched Daily Diag: a range of air-quality testing kits based on tools used in indus-try. The product is clearly in tune with the times and it is all the more welcome given that France—a country with a lot of ground to make up in controlling air pollution—is only just beginning to intro-duce initial measures in the fi eld. Could this be the fi rst sign of a growth market?

Small steps forward for Europe According to a study by Europen, European packaging waste management is increasingly resource effi cient: the amount of packaging recycled rose from 55% in 2005 to 63% in 2010. The Voice of Industry for Packaging and the Environment nonetheless notes an imbalance between the drop in packaging volumes in the EU-15 and consumption in countries new to the EU, which increased from 79 kilograms to 84 kilograms per capita between 2005 and 2010. The net eff ect across the EU-27 was a reduction from 160 kg in 2005 to 157 kg in 2010.

Empty vessels…More than 1,300 vessels at the end of their active life were scrapped in 2012, according to UK shipbroker Clarksons. That is between 20% and 30% more than in 2011. For the 11 million met-ric tons of steel dismantled, 94% of the work was done in Asia, in countries where vessel-demolition methods still involve practices that have a controversial impact on health and the environment.

6% The reduction in energy use in Europe between 2008 and 2011.


POLAND A FRESH START FOR CLEAN WATER Major upgrade and extension work has made the Czajka plant in Warsaw, which serves 2.1 million population equivalents, the largest wastewater treatment facility in Poland. The original plant opened in 1991 and had a daily capacity of up to 200,000 cubic meters. However, it was no longer able to meet the growing needs of the capital and its two million people; nor could it comply with European environmental standards. The facility is now equipped with an “active sludge” process—able to treat up to 515,000 cubic meters a day—and boasts the latest in energy-saving, thermal-treatment and chemical-deodorization technology. Work was carried out by a consortium comprising Vinci Construction, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies and German company WTE.

©Kacper Kowalski - Aeromedia.pl /OTV


FACTS

Setting new standards in fi ltration

Wastewater

Rising to the challenge of removing emerging pollutants and endocrine disruptors like pharmaceutical waste, cosmetics and pesticides is no mean feat. Some of these chemicals are listed as priority substances under the European Water Framework Directive, and all of them are thought to have harmful effects on the hormone systems of humans and animals. Actiflo Carb® is a new process that successfully removed 75% of pharmaceuticals from wastewater during tests on an industrial scale by using an activated carbon adsorption* process. Thanks to this technique it scored high on its ability to reduce phosphorus concentrations to well below regulatory limits. The process is still in the pilot phase, but it is already set to become a benchmark solution for removing micropollutants as part of drinking water treatment. In the interim, the process continues to be put through its paces around the world: following initiatives in France, Switzerland and the United States (trials conducted by Veolia Water North America, its subsidiary Kruger Inc. and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District), Germany is now putting the technology’s filtration capabilities to the test. *In this case, the adhesion of polluting organic matter to a solid surface.

FRANCE COLLECTION VEHICLES GO QUIETLY ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS There’s no need to cause a stir to bring a good idea to market! That is something that French company E3Lift has clearly understood in marketing its extremely quiet electric bin lift (under 45 dB) to collect household waste and ensure the peace of mind of local residents. This alternative technology, which has already been adopted by several French municipalities, is also more energy-effi cient than hydraulic lifting systems. It is sure to win quiet victories in other European countries as well!

EU CREATING A “RECYCLING SOCIETY” According to Friends of the Earth,

Europe still landfi lls or incinerates 60% of its municipal waste. The network of environmental organizations believes there is an urgent need to optimize collection of materials that can be reused, to pursue massive investment in recycling and to impose tighter controls on burial and incineration. www.foeeurope.org/sites/default/fi les/publications/

foee_report_-_less_is_more_0.pdf

SMES REVEAL GROWING INTEREST IN RENEWABLES According to a study by electricity and gas supplier Opus Energy, 15% of SME business leaders have already equipped their premises with facilities to generate renewable energy. This fi gure is expected to increase by 30% in the next fi ve years. The main benefi ts stated by businesses were generation of additional income, self-suffi cient supply of energy and helping to tackle climate change.

50 YEARS The time it took to develop a new method of recycling and remediating red mud. The method was developed by Canadian company Orbite Aluminae, which signed a worldwide collaborative agreement with Veolia Environmental Services to treat and recycle this toxic effl uent generated by industrial aluminum oxide production.

Microbial stimulation Desert soil microbes discovered by researchers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could help halt desertifi cation and boost agriculture in arid regions. These strains of rhizobia—soil bacteria that fi x nitrogen when they have found a suitable habitat inside root nodules—are extremely salt- and drought-tolerant. This could be a real boon to improving plant productivity in extreme environments.

Full speed ahead! Australia has benefi ted from an economic boom since 2008, due to the proximity of emerging countries like China and India and their demand for raw materials. The resulting rise in exports has pushed the oil & gas industry to increase produc-tion from non-conventional gas sources, like coal seam gas, which is then used to produce LNG. Queensland Curtis LNG, an international project run by oil giant QGC, is focusing on this new source. The operations require large quantities of water, which must be treated once they reach surface level to allow for reuse in local agricultural or industrial applications. QGC has chosen Veolia Water to treat up to 200,000 cubic meters of water produced by 6,000 wells each day. ©

Ro

ger

Str

aess

le/V

WS

ph

oto

lib

rary

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Ju

stin

Su

tcli

ff e/

Po

lari

s/In

terl

ink

s Im

age


©Veolia photo library - Stephane Harter/VU Agency

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLANS TO SHRINK ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT More than 6,000 civil servants and contractual employees, 736 Members of the European Parliament and thousands of assistants spread out over 20 buildings in three cities—Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg—for a total surface area of one million square meters… These fi gures give some measure of the sheer size and decentralized nature of the world’s largest democratic assembly, whose energy consumption is far from negligible. The EP has thus committed to ambitious targets: it aims to shrink its carbon footprint 30% by 2020 (compared with 2006 fi gures) and reduce CO

2 emissions by 28,000 metric tons in six years (2012-2017). On the strength of its expertise in energy

effi ciency, leading-edge technologies, user awareness campaigns and more, Dalkia has been selected to help the EP rise to the challenge.


FACTS

A cholera-free future Access to drinking water

As part of the campaign to combat a disease that claims more than 100,000 lives each year, the Global Alliance Against Cholera (GAAC) promotes an approach that combines both preventive and sustainable initiatives. Alliance members include experts and epidemiologists from all over the world. Together, they have developed an operational methodology that includes scientific research, safe access to drinking water, effective sanitation and increasing hygiene awareness among people most at risk. At Biovision, theWorld Life Sciences Forum, held in March, GAAC presented a program that it is currently testing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the support of the Veolia Environment Foundation.

Gray matter for raw materials Brussels launched the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials in February. The goal of this major workshop is to encourage governments, industry and NGOs to coordinate research and investment to develop Europe’s potential to access, operate and recycle strategic materials like rare earths, along with other materials such as cotton, wood and natural rubber.

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION TEN TECHNOLOGIES FOR OUR FUTURE Energy, environment and healthcare are the key fi elds in which 10 technologies identifi ed by the Global Agenda Council at the World Economic Forum could revolutionize our daily lives in the not-too-distant future. New advances in biomimetics promise “self-healing” materials. 3D printers will give us tiny production lines in our homes, able to manufacture complex objects. Forward-osmosis technology is more energy effi cient than methods currently used in desalination and could provide a solution to the growing problem of water scarcity. Photosynthetic bacteria could turn the CO

2 given off by industry into

fuel. Modern genomic techniques could help target the proteins best able to tackle the problems of malnutrition and obesity. And, last but not least, welcome to the world of “Nuclear 2.0” and fourth-generation reactors able to use spent uranium as a fuel source, drastically reducing issues raised by storage and half-life.

$20 BILLIONThe annual increase in investment in smart cities between today and 2020, according to a report by Pike Research. The estimate takes into account an exponential increase in the need for smart infrastructure in cities with growing populations.

©O

EM

Im

ages

Wastewater: a promising market Global markets for wastewater recycling and reuse technologies increased from nearly $6.7 billion to $9.5 billion between 2009 and 2012, according to market research by Global Information, Inc. World markets are expected to expand more rapidly as global economies continue to recover from the global downturn, achieving a fi ve-year combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.7% between 2012 and 2017.

WIND POWER IN EUROPE OFFSHORE STILL ON THE HORIZON After record growth in Europe, off shore wind energy experienced a slowdown in 2012: According to the European Wind Energy Association, off shore wind energy capacity currently totals 4,995 MW, which is 1,000 MW short of the targets set by EU member states as part of the climate and energy package. Yet the industry has real advantages that cannot be ignored, even during this time of economic recession. One reason to continue expanding its share of the European energy mix is that off shore wind off ers greater energy potential than its onshore counterpart; another is the prospect of fl oating wind turbines, which would have the huge advantage of unfettering the technology from restrictions related to seabed depths. As a result, total off shore wind energy capacity is expected to surpass that of onshore by 2035.

$13.9 BILLION The amount invested in smart-grid technologies in 2012. This represents an increase of 7% over the previous year, with investment set to double by 2018.

©V

eoli

a E

nv

iro

nn

emen

t F

ou

nd

atio

n


TARA EXPEDITION AN ONGOING VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY The Tara Oceans expedition provided unprecedented scope for research by bringing back thousands of tons of plankton from its

scientifi c voyage between 2010 and 2012. Now the Oceanomics program is set to explore the genomes of these still largely unknown ecosystems. The study of these microorganisms by research facilities in France and around the world will help build a database that could lead to promising applications in biofuel, pharmaceuticals and monitoring aquatic environments. The Oceanomics project is a groundbreaking initiative in terms of the goals and resources employed. As part of the project, Veolia Environnement research teams will work alongside other industrial partners to help draw up a legal framework for bioprospecting plankton.

©M.Ormestad-Kahikai-Tara-Oceans

Paris, May 28-31, 2013Palais des Congrès d’Issy-les MoulineauxFrance

9th InternationalConferenceon BiofilmReactors

A French historic venue close to Paris.

A unique technical tour to SIAAP-Acheres wastewater treatment plant, the largest WWTP plant in Europe.

Registration, program and information

www. iwabiofilm 2013.com

This conference organized by Veolia Water and International Water Association aims to bring together practitioners and biofilm researchers to discuss and exchange on new developments within research, development, design, and application of biofilm reactors and to assess the impact of biofilms on natural and engineered processes in water and wastewater treatment.

120experts expected

VEO

LIA

PICT

URE

LIBR

ARY

- LE

SQUA

RE/F

. BEN

AUSS

E/A.

DES

VAUX

/ W

. CRO

ZES,

CLA

UDE

CIEU

TAT/

OTV

- ALL

RIG

HTS

RESE

RVED

Advertisement

solutions


In Bedford, Massachusetts (US), EMD Millipore, a Merck

subsidiary that consumes large quantities of methanol to produce

microfi ltration membranes, recycles its used methanol. Typically

considered hazardous waste, the used methanol from this plant

is a veritable resource: it is used to reduce nitrogen levels in

wastewater. Montluçon (France) has signed an energy performance

contract to improve the energy effi ciency of its municipal buildings

as part of a regional sustainable development plan.


SOLUTIONS EMD MILLIPORE

Visitors to Bedford, Massachusetts, just north of Boston, are alerted that there may be more to the small, quiet community than meets the eye when they pass signs welcoming them to the “home of the first flag.” The Bedford Flag, believed to be the country’s oldest

In Bedford, the entire R&D team at Merck KGaA subsidiary EMD Millipore worked on turning hazardous waste—used methanol—into a resource.

microfiltration membranes used for a variety of special purposes, including pharmaceutical applications, at the Bedford site. The membranes’ tiny pores, measuring in the 0.2 to 0.9 micron range, filter contaminants to achieve ultra-pure quality of samples prior to analysis.

Dealing with the leftovers One of 540 employees on the 30-acre site, environmental engineer Bobby Young keeps close track of incoming raw materials and outgoing products and waste. The highest volume substance received by the plant is methanol, used to harden the thin layers of flat plastic sheeting—known as “roll stock membrane”—into solid filter. Most of the used methanol, known as “regulated recyclable material,”1 is refined and reclaimed for reuse on-site. However, the

Quiet Revolutionary

Methanol gets a makeover

BY WILLIAM MENGEBIER

surviving battle banner, was carried by colonial Minutemen as they marched a few miles up the road to take part in the battle of Concord, site of “the shot heard around the world” at the outset of the American Revolutionary War. Ideas for changing the way the world works can still be found in Bedford, including when it comes to protecting the environment. The battles waged today tend to be quieter and are less about musket balls than they are about persistence and pragmatism…and one man’s passion for finding innovative ideas to protect the environment.At Bedford’s EMD Millipore R&D facility, researchers are playing a vital role in the fight to change the way we think about cancer. A division of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, EMD Millipore conducts pilot-scale manufacturing of


©V

eoli

a P

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Kei

ko

Hir

om

i /

Po

lari

s /I

nte

rlin

ks

Imag

e

BOBBY YOUNG, Environmental Health

and Safety Engineer at EMD Millipore in Bedford, Massachusetts

STEVE GARCIA, Sales Director,

Veolia Environmental Services North

America



process still generates large quantities of excess methanol, which must be disposed of as hazardous waste due to the compound’s flammability and toxicity.Under the strict US laws that govern the handling and disposal of hazardous waste, the plant’s used methanol was being trucked hundreds of miles to special facilities where it could be burned as fuel. Limits on EMD Millipore’s authorized on-site storage capacity for used methanol required waste management services provider, Veolia Environmental Services, to make multiple trips to the site each week to remove the waste.“In addition to being a costly, not very satisfactory process for our client, the situation presented us with a difficult service challenge,” says Veolia Environmental Services sales manager Steve Garcia. “Whenever the small underground storage tanks would fill up, including at night or on weekends, they needed to be emptied immediately to allow production to continue. One of the many difficulties we had to overcome was ensuring waste truck availability for an unpredictable schedule.”

Passionate ideals Finding a more environmentally sustainable solution for the used methanol was also very much on the mind of Bobby Young. Growing up in the South Carolina countryside—

where land and water were a source of both recreation and food—fostered an abiding respect for nature in this engineer. “Finding innovative ways to protect the environment is something of a personal passion,” smiles the grandfather and still avid fisherman. “Sure, there were other possible uses for the excess methanol, like using it in windshield wiper fluid,” he shrugs, “but that’s not really removing it from the environment.”The breakthrough idea came to Bobby at

a conference on wastewater treatment in Baltimore, where topics included the use of industrial waste products as raw materials in other industrial processes. One example was substances that could be used in sewage treatment plants to reduce nitrogen in wastewater...including methanol.Excited by the idea that the Bedford plant’s recycled methanol could help protect the environment instead of being disposed of as a waste, Bobby contacted Veolia Environmental Services to discuss possible solutions.

Water works “We didn’t have to look far from home for the answer,” says Steve Garcia. “In a brainstorming session with our colleagues at Veolia Water, they identified one of their customers, the city of Danbury, Connecticut, as a potential user for the reclaimed methanol.”The Danbury biological wastewater treatment plant was using expensive virgin methanol in the “denitrification” process, in which nitrogen is removed from the wastewater. “Too much nitrogen creates algae blooms,” explains Bobby Young. “Not good for the fish.” The methanol acts as a catalyst, serving as a carbon food source for bacteria that convert the nitrates and nitrites into nitrogen gas. “Green gas2,” adds Bobby.While a good idea for protecting the environment can take hold in a flash, getting a new process approved by state and local officials is quite another story. In addition to the extensive testing conducted by Veolia Water specialists (see opposite), it took two years of testing, applications, meetings and

The Bedford fl ag (second from top) was carried by the Minutemen who went to fi ght in the battle of Concord at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

ABOUT EMD MILLIPOREEMD Millipore is the life science division of Merck KGaA of Germany and off ers a

broad range of innovative, performance products, services and business relationships that underpin its customers’ successes in research, development and production of biotech and pharmaceutical drug therapies. Through dedicated collaboration on new scientifi c and engineering insights, and as one of the top three R&D investors in the life science tools industry, EMD Millipore serves as a strategic partner to customers and helps advance the promise of life science. Headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, the division has around 10,000 employees, operations in 67 countries and 2011 revenues of €2.4 billion. EMD Millipore is known as Merck Millipore outside of the US and Canada.

©V

eoli

a P

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Kei

ko

Hir

om

i /

Po

lari

s /I

nte

rlin

ks

Imag

e

2- Biogas is also known as “green gas” because it is a renewable energy produced today using organic matter, while natural gas is a fossil fuel produced by the fermen-tation of organic matter over millions of years. Biogas is considered carbon neutral because its emissions are absorbed by plants at the same rate they are produced


Thanks to the methanol recycling scheme, EMD Millipore saves $250,000 a year and the city of Danbury pays 15-33% less for its methanol.

©C

har

les

M. H

op

kin

s /V

eoli

a E

nv

iro

nm

enta

l S

erv

ices



Great idea…not so fast! The proposal to reuse EMD Millipore’s excess methanol1 in wastewater treatment would not only save money, it presented obvious benefits for the environment: instead of being considered a hazardous waste, destined for disposal, the reclaimed methanol would become a raw material, playing a vital role in a process that results in clear, clean water. “It was practically a ‘no-brainer’,” says Bobby Young. Yet, when it came to gaining approval for the change, neither the financial savings nor the positive benefits for lakes and streams were the primary consideration. Treatment of solid and hazardous wastes in the US is governed by the lengthy Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, frequently referred to by its acronym, RCRA. Many of the individual 50 states are authorized to administer the federal statute within their borders, frequently adding their own regulations. The non-recycled methanol at EMD Millipore was subject to a permit issued by the State of Massachusetts authorizing its transportation and disposal off-site. Removing the material from coverage under RCRA’s meticulous hazardous waste handling and treatment provisions and transferring it to Danbury not only meant demonstrating the material’s efficiency and safety says Steve Garcia, “It also meant working with regulators in a new state, Connecticut, to ensure their understanding of our entire process.”

THE UPHILL BATTLE FOR USED METHANOL

RECYCLING METHANOL

Don’t hurt the bugs Use of the recycled methanol1 to help clean wastewater required a specific type of wastewater treatment facility, one that used biological treatment. In bio-treatment plants, bacteria, or “bugs,” feed on contaminants present in the wastewater. At the Danbury plant, methanol is added to the wastewater to provide favorable conditions that help the microorganisms reduce nitrate and nitrite compounds. “Substituting recycled methanol for virgin methanol required extensive feasibility testing,” says Veolia Water area manager, John Oatley. “We needed to show that the EMD Millipore material would work effectively and not interfere with the existing process or introduce any new contaminants.” Kumar Upendakumar, an environmental engineer with Veolia Water’s technical department flew in from Indianapolis to run the testing, setting up aquariums to conduct side-by-side bacterial experiments and using different dosages to replicate what would happen when the material was used in the plant. “Based on the very positive lab results, we were eventually able to introduce the recycled material at the plant, initially keeping it in separate tanks and alternating it every other day with the virgin material to measure and compare the results,” says Oatley. “Once we were satisfied that there was no difference, the recycled material was blended with the virgin methanol. For an environmentally conscious community like Danbury, it is a point of pride to support a more sustainable process. Of course, they are happy to be saving money too!”

presentations to convince all parties the solution was safe (see inset box). As both the service provider and the client recall , the process demanded intense coordination. “I’m not sure exactly how long it went on,” says Steve to Bobby. “All I know is that it seems like for an awfully long time, every morning started with a 7:30 phone call from you asking me, ‘So where are we today?’”

Winning combination Permission finally granted, the first trial shipment of EMD Millipore’s methanol arrived in Danbury in August 2011, and the material has since been fully integrated into the wastewater treatment plant’s processes. The accomplishment provides substantial benefits for all involved: instead of paying to dispose of its used methanol as hazardous waste, EMD Millipore saves the equivalent of about €0.10 per liter of regulated recyclable material, or about €200,000 annually; Danbury, meanwhile, saves 15–33% of the costs of purchasing virgin methanol, a petroleum product subject to high price volatility. For both Veolia Environmental Services and Veolia Water, in addition to delivering added value for their respective clients, there is the satisfaction, shared by all, of finding a more sustainable solution for the environment. Busy with a new project to find uses for the non-hazardous plastic remnants left over from the plant’s cutting processes, Bobby offers the last word on the recycled methanol project: “It’s good for the fish.”

1- The correct legal classification is “regulated recyclable material.” In the context of this article and to facilitate readability, other terms used to refer to the material include “used,” “excess,” “recycled,” “reclaimed,” or “EMD Millipore’s methanol.”


simplify regional partnerships, Montluçon and neighboring municipalities grouped together in 2011 to form a conurbation community. That community now comprises 10 municipalities and over 75,000 people—40,000 of whom live in Montluçon—all working to overcome an array of challenges, including the transition towards new energy solutions.As a result of economic and social development, Montluçon’s urban fabric has evolved. It is now

M ontluçon has always succeeded in drawing on its geographical position as the gateway to the Auvergne region, a hub for travel

and trade, the heart of France and a crossroads on the route between central Europe and the Atlantic coast. The tire industry (Dunlop) was one of the first pioneers in the area, followed by chemicals, electronics, new technologies and environmental services. To facilitate and

BY PATRICIA COIGNARD. PHOTOS: RODOLPHE ESCHER FOR VEOLIA PHOTO LIBRARY

ENERGY PERFORMANCE IN THE HEART OF FRANCE

Regional development policies all over the world now incorporate energy savings targets. The challenge for local stakeholders lies in achieving long-term energy

performance. In France, the city of Montluçon has done just that by cutting its energy bill by 21.5% in just

two years. Read on to find out more.

SOLUTIONS MONTLUÇON



dotted with business parks, residential areas, public buildings, amenities and sports facilities. Naturally, elected representatives quickly found themselves looking to achieve energy savings for municipal buildings, especially with energy bills accounting for an average of between 2% and 5% of the local authority’s operating budget. Daniel Dugléry, Montluçon’s mayor and chairman of the conurbation community, still remembers the lay of the land in 2010: “Public real-estate assets—representing nearly 100 buildings—were in a poor state of repair, aging, and, in some cases, obsolete. Insulation everywhere was failing and heating systems were no longer anywhere near suited to modern-day requirements.” The situation clearly demanded urgent attention, in a region that has one of France’s highest heating requirements: 213 days a year! As Pascal Rullion—who oversees technical building services for the city council—explains, the teams involved had to be resourceful: “We had learned to live with the energy shortcomings of the older buildings. Based on empirical data, our teams did their best to manage energy use and provide the services required.”

Immediate action When the heating system maintenance contract for municipal and conurbation buildings came to an end in December 2009, the community had the opportunity to start from scratch and adopt a fresh approach to energy management for 96 public sites. But to get there, authorities would have to approve an ambitious solution... The mayor quickly saw the potential offered by energy performance contracts (EPC). “This system gave us the means to achieve long-term energy efficiency. It allowed us to set up a virtuous circle while taking immediate action across a wide range of buildings. In less than a year, we successfully carried out major renovation work that would have taken 15 to 20 years if we had been tackling the problem alone. It also gave us the chance to draw up a comprehensive policy for the entire region, incorporating new energy sources

like solar and wood, subsequently applied to each building in line with its specifications.”

Mr. Dugléry willingly admits that “it was bit of a rocky journey, especially since we were the first to sign this sort of contract in the region,” yet he is quick to add that “there was no risk involved for the municipality or the conurbation community.” Dalkia has the expertise needed for complex projects like this one, including the ability to make commitments that the city could not have made alone. Dalkia’s teams provided the financial resources for all general contracting, totaling some €1.8 million. In addition, the contract was drawn up to include a target of an annual 17.5% reduction in energy use. The deciding factor was Dalkia’s offer to provide not just a standard solution but a series of tailored solutions adapted to

This contract gave us the opportunity to draw up a comprehensive policy for the entire region, incorporating new energy sources like solar and wood, subsequently applied to each building in line with its specifi cations.

DANIEL DUGLÉRY, CHAIRMAN OF THE CONURBATION COMMUNITY AND MAYOR OF MONTLUÇON

the specific requirements of each public building. This guaranteed the flexibility to incorporate new buildings over the duration of the contract, such as the Museum of Popular Music and De La Loue Stadium in 2012. The EPC has been presented as a “source of continuous improvement” and has won the support of many local officials.

Making technology widely available “With the performance contract, our region has taken advantage of technological innovations like sensors and automated systems. We would never have opted for these kinds of solutions without Dalkia’s


SOLAR PANELS ATOP THE CENTRAL CAFETERIA MEETING AT THE CULTURAL CENTER

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

HEAT PUMP AT THE ATHANOR CULTURAL CENTER

ELECTRIC VEHICLE FEATURING A MEGA POSTER

A poster campaign promoting easy-to-adopt green habits is just one of the community’s awareness initiatives.

Performance contracts have totally revamped the relationship between private operators and local authorities, creating a win-win situation.

AWARENESS CAMPAIGN



contractual commitment to energy savings and carbon reductions,” explains Mr. Ruillon.

In the four months leading up to the start of the contract, on January 1, 2010, Dalkia fostered close ties with the community’s technical services. The goal was to draw up individual specifications for each of the 96 public buildings, detailing what the premises were used for, the number of square meters, use times, methods of heating and insulation for some 20 school complexes, municipal facilities (Maisons des Associations, Maison de la Petite Enfance, etc.), sports centers and cultural attractions. Then, between May and August 2010, nearly 180 improvement initiatives were implemented by local specialist firms so everything would be ready by September, when classes and activities started back up. Some of these improvements—all of which are managed remotely (see interview)—include: 38 square meters of solar panels on the terraced roof of the central school cafeteria, condensing boilers installed at the cultural center, 13 sites equipped with heat pumps, 280 windows replaced (PVC, double glazing) at a school complex, and last but not least, the two biomass heating plants burning wood pellets at the two schools.

In the first year (2010-2011), the initiative achieved the 17.5% energy savings stipulated in the contract. This period fostered “ongoing dialogue that helped all those involved adapt to using the different central management energy performance indicators,” explains Mr. Rullion. “Local authorities, technicians and Dalkia became a real team, with a relationship based on trust. We talk every week. A more formal meeting is held every two months and a report is drawn up annually.” The second year of this new approach to heating (2012) gave even greater cause for satisfaction, surpassing the contract target by 4%!

Committed residents The commitment of the community’s residents to energy savings

has also contributed to these impressive results. One of the specific features of the performance contract is its focus on user habits: “Of the minimum target of 17.5% energy savings each year, over 3% must come from changes in the behavior of end users across all age groups,” explains Mr. Dugléry. The goal is to encourage residents to adopt the right practices from the outset in their homes, at school and at work. “When we show people the benefits of their active involvement on a daily basis (no more cold public buildings, saving money for the city to help their local community grow, etc.), we really get their attention and generate an impressive level of response,” adds the mayor.

“Megacational” Led by its mascot, “Mega” (Montluçon Energie Gagnante), a dynamic communications campaign has been put in place complete with information booklets, posters, magnets and more to explain how to better manage energy consumption. In schools, for instance, these educational campaigns remind children of the benefits of turning off the light when leaving the classroom, or of closing windows and doors when the heating is on, for instance. Residents are regularly informed of work carried out and of the resulting performance gains. However, there is still a lot of ground to be covered in communications in 2013. Pascal Rullion sees the situation clearly: “We have to explain to people that the savings achieved in 2012 have ‘only’ served to offset the impact of a sharp increase in the price of oil and electricity on the public purse!”

The success of the energy performance contract in Montluçon has led to a number of similar agreements elsewhere. Five new contracts of this type have been signed in the region for public buildings—including the Aqualude water park—large neighborhood of private homes. The future looks bright!


How do the central and remote management aspects of the contract work?

We have made sensors and automated systems a central feature of buildings. This technology can detect the slightest problem in terms of heating, production of hot water and air conditioning. Our call center is alerted and, if necessary, a technician is sent out. I access the full range of information on the energy performance of buildings connected to the system on a daily basis from a computer. I then use this data to provide the city council with real-time updates.

What are the main benefi ts of this remote management system?

It allows us to tailor the way we manage energy to meet specific needs, in line with the operating hours and periods that facilities are in use. We improve not only energy performance, but also response times, since the system is operational 24/7. This is vital to the success of the energy performance contract. The central management system gives us detailed feedback that allows us to optimize the performance of each site and work out why some sites still fall short of the 17.5% target stipulated in the contract.

How are the technical teams involved with the remote management

system?

The teams play a crucial role because the technicians analyze the data collected and use it to make conclusions. Their experience in the field (facilities management, client needs, etc.) complements the remote management system perfectly. It’s more than just reading a screen. We work with a dual network, making the best of both IT tools and human capital.

Fabien Boudet,

Dalkia France. Project Manager for the Montluçon EPC.

SOLUTIONS TAILORED TO REAL NEEDS

INTERVIEW

EPC start date: January 1, 2010• Length: 10 years

Contractual commitment to energy savings of 17.5% a year:• including 3% through changes in the behavior of end users over a 10-year period;• representing a reduction of 5,500 metric tons of CO

2 emissions�;

• equaling the CO2 absorption potential

of 6,000 hectares of forest (full-grown trees).

Overall savings for the city and the conurbation community: €117,000 per year

180 energy optimization and renovation initiatives for 96 buildings

€1.8 million invested by Dalkia in general contracting (fees spread over the duration of the contract)

Key energy-improvement work scheduled for 2013: • Replacement of the boiler in the municipal greenhouse • Installation of thermostats and room sensors (40 already in operation) in schools.

KEY FIGURES

ILLUSTRATION: MARIETTE GUIGAL ©Veolia photo library - Fayez Nureldine/AFP


Saudi Arabia rises to the water challenge

horizons


HORIZONS SAUDI ARABIA THE QUEST FOR WATER IN THE OIL KINGDOM

S aturday, February 23, 12:05 pm. The muezzin in the King Fahd district, in northern Riyadh, calls the faithful to prayer. The week is only just beginning and the city is gently stirring after the weekend. It is time for the dhuhr, the

second prayer of the day. Men approach the mosque in small groups. Abdullah A. Al Awah is one of them, a man with a small stature and easy gait. With his white thawb and his red and white checked kaffiyeh, he proudly sports the traditional public attire of Saudi men. His weathered, sun-tanned face makes him seem a little older than his 55 years. In this kingdom of two million square kilometers, temperatures can reach 60 degrees Celsius in the month of August and rainfall is rare—so rare that the rains seem to mark the passage of time. Abdullah still remembers the last downpour that brought Riyadh to a standstill: “It was early May 2010. The streets were flooded. It was a real deluge.” Abdullah is a Bedouin who immigrated here 20 years ago, after living three quarters of his life camping in the desert. He was born in the date-producing prov-ince of Al Qassim, 400 kilometers northwest of the

city. In the early 1990s, he decided it was time for a drastic change in lifestyle, both for himself and his family: “I came to Riyadh in search of a more comfortable life for my children, my wives and my parents.” Abdullah now owns two houses (500 and 600 square meters), which are considered average in a country where every-thing is supersized.

He remembers one of his more vivid childhood memories: “Up until the age of 10, I would fetch water from the well, which was a typical chore for a young boy. Nowadays, I take great pleasure in turning on the tap and using the water that flows out of it.” This is a simple, commonplace part of his everyday life today, but that is because Abdullah and his family are among the 400,000 Riyadh households that benefit from the drinking water network now being built in the Saudi capital. For the time being, all of Riyadh’s residents use water from tanks on the roof of their homes and below gardens. When the network cannot provide enough volume, these reservoirs are supplied by blue tanker trucks. And the city continues to expand, with a population that has grown by 20% in the past six years! This obviously increases demand for connections to the drink-ing water supply and represents a real challenge for the authorities, and especially for the National Water Company (NWC), which over-sees these vital developments.

Abdullah was only recently connected to the wastewater collection system, and it has improved his quality of life. As he

BY CLARENCE RODRIGUEZ-VIDAL (RIYADH CORRESPONDENT).

In Riyadh, every drop counts... For Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading oil producer, promoting effi cient management of water for the population as a whole will be a real challenge in the years ahead. Home to 5.7 million people, the capital, Riyadh, is one of the largest cities in the world, and its population is growing by 4% per year. Faced with rapidly increasing demand for water in this arid country, the Saudi monarchy has made managing this scarce resource and treating wastewater a key priority.


Though it was a tiny oasis just 100 years ago, Riyadh is now a fast-growing metropolis where huge shopping malls, luxury hotels and skyscrapers abound.

©Veolia photo library - René Tanguy



What has been achieved over the

past fi ve years of partnership?

It all comes down to one number: 100,000. In February, we celebrated the 100,000th connection to the wastewater network. At the beginning of the contract, the network supported just 50,000 connections, so that’s quite an achievement. To reach that number, we had to build a 2,300-kilometer pipe system to connect them all to the Manfouha and Al Kharj wastewater treatment plants. Today, 68% of end users—400,000 households, up from 270,000 before 2008—are hooked up to the wastewater treatment network.

What resources and schemes have

been put in place?

We h a v e l a u n c h e d l a r g e projects to deliver new network connections more quickly and reduce environmental impact. By optimizing efficiency at the treatment plants, we are now able to produce larger quantities of high-quality water without interruption. It’s important to acknowledge the difficult challenges we had to overcome; that’s why we contracted with an operator that boasts the

necessary experience. With Veolia, we have met most of our goals. The key to success has been our close collaboration and the complete commitment from both companies.

What challenges lie ahead?

Daily demand for water currently totals 1.8 million cubic meters. To keep pace with increasing needs and guarantee service, a desalination plant is under construction and is set to come on stream in 2014. But big projects like this come with a certain price tag. In this case, it’s nearly €500 million! Another way to guarantee service while simultaneously saving water is by promoting responsible water use. For example, we are working hard to decrease leaks every day, because the loss of 17% of distributed volume just won’t do. We have fitted the network with new high-tech equipment and also increased the number of teams responsible for locating leaks. In two years, we have installed 2,700 meters in the Al Moroujh pilot area. Thanks to a remote reading system, we can better manage problems, leaks and excessive consumption. We are on track to extend this system to the entire city of Riyadh.

Do you think changing the way users

manage this newfound convenience is

as important as major investments in

infrastructure?

Of course! We have to prevent end users from wasting water and encourage them to manage their consumption more efficiently. To that end, it’s important that we set a few ground rules. Our customers really need to give up their bad habits (see interview page 32). Riyadh’s water travels 400 kilometers from the ocean to reach the city. And let’s not forget that the capital is at an altitude of 600 meters, which further increases production and maintenance costs. We have to raise awareness by tugging at their heartstrings.

What do you mean by that?

We need to explain to today’s users that the water they save will support future generations. Water has become a high-stakes political and strategic issue in recent years. It could provoke tension in the region.

Nemer Al Shebel

Co-Director of RCBU

CLOSE COLLABORATION AND COMPLETE COMMITMENT

INTERVIEW

The National Water Company (NWC) and its specialized regional and project-based subsidiaries, like Riyadh City Business Unit (RCBU), have relied on Veolia Water’s expertise to help develop and organize the capital’s drinking water and wastewater networks. Five years on, Nemer Al Shebel refl ects on this fruitful partnership.


explains: “For over 20 years, like other people not connected to the network, I had to empty my septic tank regularly, which is a very unpleasant task.” To compound this particular problem, waste-collec-tion companies were in the habit of dumping the contents of their tanker trucks in the middle of the desert (see inset).

Faced with water scarcity and the challenges of sustainable resource management, Riyadh is now looking at ways to reclaim and reuse its wastewater to provide future solutions. The policy pursued by the Saudi authorities in partnership with Veolia Water focuses on developing these solutions by equipping wastewater plants with treatment systems that allow water to be reused in industry and agriculture, and for watering parks and gardens. At present, only 10% of water from treatment plants is reused, but the technology should eventually be available to people like Abdullah, allowing him to keep both of his gardens green.

Small local markets continue to sell fruits and vegetables at aff ordable prices despite the rise of supermarkets selling imported products.

The end of “Nazeem Lake”

Not long ago, the city’s wastewater was dumped at poorly regulated, open-air sewage ponds like the unauthorized dumping ground dubbed “Nazeem Lake” on Riyadh’s eastern outskirts. Over the years, the “dump”—spanning some 5.8 million square meters (600 soccer fields)—grew into a huge, foul-smelling lake. In 2002, one of the first decisions announced by the NWC as part of its commitment to environmental protection, was to arrange official disposal facilities compliant with international regulations and to restore the site to its original ecological state. This unprecedented clean-up campaign was completed in March 2012. Contaminants have been removed and the lake filled in, allowing camels to reclaim the site.

©A

P/S

ipa



SPOTLIGHT

2,300 kilometers of pipes were laid to link the

100,000 connections to the network.

Saudi Arabia, which depends on rainfall, aquifers and desalination to meet water needs, is invested in protecting this vital resources.

With a surface area of more than two million square kilometers, Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. Its capital,Riyadh, covers 1,554 square kilometers and is home to 5.7 million people.

1.8 million cubic meters: the volume of water consumed daily in Riyadh.

2,700 smart meters were installed in two years in the Al Moroujh pilot zone.

Almost 400,000 homes are connected to the Riyadh drinking water network.

68% of users (270,000 households) are connected to the wastewater network.

RiyadhDammam

Yemen

Oman

Red

Sea

Sudan

Egypt

Eritrea

Djibouti

Somalia

Jordan

Israel

Syria

Irak

IranKuwait

Bahrain

Qatar

UAE

Mecca

Jeddah

Medina

Arabian Sea

©A

P/S

ipa


The country is also building dams and desalination plants, and encouraging wastewater recycling, or reuse.

The government is promoting modern, effi cient irrigation systems, rolling out progressive water rates and trying to eliminate leaks.

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Fay

ez N

ure

ldin

e/A

FP

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Fay

ez N

ure

ldin

e/A

FP

©

Veo

lia

ph

oto

lib

rary

- F

ayez

Nu

reld

ine/

AF

P

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Fay

ez N

ure

ldin

e/A

FP



Riyadh’s water supply comes from two sources. 50% is produced by seawater desalination facilities near Khobar, on Saudi Arabia’s east coast. The other half is pumped from aquifers in the middle of the desert, through 200 wells drilled all around the capital, within a 250 kilometer radius of the city. Eight of these wells—five now under construction and three being rehabilitated—are found in Al Buweib, which is also home to 11 drinking water production plants. The water in the wells lies at a depth of between 400 and 2,400 meters, and comes from brackish fossil aquifers. It is extracted using derricks identical to those used in oil drilling, and reaches ground level at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. It is then treated and desalinated to make it fit for consumption. The Al Buweib site is 45 kilometers from Riyadh in the middle of the desert. On this particular day,

Well that makes a difference!

Nothing should be overlooked in the bid to make the most of available resources. Geology off ers real opportunities—for those who know how to take advantage of them. In the desert just outside Riyadh, groundwater lies at an average depth of more than 2,000 meters. Making that water fi t for drinking requires an impressive technological feat—one that must be used in moderation. Special report.

Al Buweib

The 200 wells spread out within a 250-kilometer radius of the capital provide an additional supply of drinking water. They pump at depths up to 2,400 meters.

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Fay

ez N

ure

ldin

e /A

FP


the sun is masked by a veil of sand. The sky is milky white. There is only one way to get here: the road from Riyadh that runs past the King Abdulaziz race track in Al Janadriyah, followed by a bumpy, dusty minor road. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is the best option. 45 minutes out of Riyadh, the contrast is striking: on one side, the treatment plant and reservoirs are a hive of activity with their state-of-the-art technology; on the other, Bedouin camel breeders go about their business. “Al Buweib currently produces 25,000 cubic meters of water a day and will have an output of 35,000 cubic meters in the next few months,” explains Laurent Archimbaud, RCBU Works Director. “It is important that the Saudi people make optimal use of their wells to reduce dependency on water from the Persian Gulf.”

THREE QUESTIONS FOR

What exactly does reuse mean?

Reuse means treating wastewater to make it suitable for use in industry, agriculture and the service sector. On the one hand, it helps mitigate the strain on water resources by preventing any further drop in the water table, which has already sunk by tens of meters in the past 30 years. (As you can imagine, there is very little groundwater recharge given the lack of rainfall in Saudi Arabia.) On the other, it helps reduce the use of energy-hungry desalinated water. If we don’t act swiftly, all of Saudi Arabia’s oil will be used up in the next 20 years just to produce its water supply!

How can reuse help offset the problem of water scarcity?

The Saudi Ministry of Water and Electricity aims to focus on recycling wastewater after treatment. The goal is to use the 35% of water currently being treated and recover 100% of it in the near future.

How will the water be used?

At present, 10% of water from treatment plants is reused in industry and agriculture, as well as in parks and gardens. We have already identified a number of users. The NWC aims to significantly boost this number by building a specific network for non-drinking water and improving the quality of treatment. In 2012, three tertiary treatment plants were commissioned at the Manfouha and Al Heat sites, with a capacity of 400,000 cubic meters a day. This treated wastewater is channeled through a special pipe system that is separate from the drinking water network.

Jean-Paul Camus,

Managing Director at Veolia Water Saudi Arabia and RCBU, Co-Director at NWC.

Recycling, or reuse, is one of the solutions chosen by the National Water Company (NWC) and Veolia to create a more sustainable water supply in Riyadh. Jean-Paul Camus unders-cores the importance of this approach to saving water.

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Fay

ez N

ure

ldin

e/A

FP

©

Veo

lia

ph

oto

lib

rary

- F

ayez

Nu

reld

ine/

AF

P

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Ren

é T

ang

uy



How do you moderate the use of something that comes to users “naturally”? This is the task given to the customer service department. To achieve its goals, it must be readily available and easy to contact. Visitors should also feel welcome, even when they have to wait. “That is why we set up the department in the Al Nuzha district, near the international conference center,” explains Mr. Boutier. “You can’t miss the huge drop of water in blue-tinted glass when you’re on King Abdullah Road, one of Riyadh’s main avenues.” Careful attention has also been paid to the interior. Inside, everything is perfectly designed to host customers, who come mainly to pay their bills, request information or

Educating through dialogue

file a complaint. As chance would have it, on the eve of our visit, the call center fielded 10,000 calls in one day from people complaining about problems with their water supply as a result of winter maintenance work. This is a rare occurrence: the department usually handles an average of 3,000 calls a day.“The National Water Company has also created a showroom to share water use information with users. It covers simple, everyday situations, like how to wash your car and water your garden without wasting water. Other tips include not leaving the tap on while you’re brushing your teeth or doing the dishes, etc. There is a whole range of simple, everyday advice for users.” As Mr. Boutier points out,

The customer service department at the Riyadh City Business Unit (RCBU) is a vital service and a key part of the National Water Company (NWC) strategy. It provides users with a reliable, transparent, interactive information service and, above all, seeks to moderate consumption resulting from more widespread access to water. The agency focuses on promoting a long-term relationship built on trust. Joël Boutier, department manager for the past three years, points out the benefi ts of the service.

Riyadh City Business Unit

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Ro

mai

n S

ecco


“Water is incredibly cheap in Riyadh, which probably explains why people still don’t pay enough attention to how much they use. We apply a sliding scale. For instance, prices per cubic meter can vary from €0.02, up to 50 cubic meters a month, to €1.30 for more than 300 cubic meters a month. We also provide water-saving balloons that people can put in their toilet tanks.” Yet that is still not enough to change people’s behavior. In line with the Ministry of Water and Electricity’s bid to reduce daily water consumption per capita from more than 300 liters to 250 liters1, advertising is also a big help: campaigns include press ads, television commercials and billboards. The message is clear and concise: “If you shower in four minutes, you will

Training center

In Riyadh, the 4,300 employees at Riyadh City Business Unit (RCBU) all take courses at the water industry skills and management training center to improve their knowledge and build their expertise. Set up in 2009 in the Al Nuzha district, the center provided a total of 268,000 hours of training between 2009 and 2012. Its director, Henrick Sandberg, notes that “before 2010, many employees did not come to the training sessions.” Absenteeism was peaking at 50%. Three years later, it is down to 15%. The reason? “Any unwarranted absence may be deducted from the employee’s pay check.”

save 130 liters.” This is the first such campaign for Riyadh and Saudi Arabia.Fines are a last resort. If water officials can prove that users are abusing the system, they may impose a fine in the form of an extra charge on the customer’s next water bill. The average fine stands at SAR200 (€40). “We caught 400,000 infringements last year, compared with 75,000 in 2007,” concludes Mr. Boutier.

The RCBU’s customer service center provides ideal surroundings for listening to and informing users thanks to inviting design, an effi cient call center, a water use showroom and more.

1 – Comparative data on other daily amounts include 250 liters per capita in North America, 100-130 liters per capita in Europe and 10 liters per capita in sub-Saharan Africa (source: CIEau - 2012).

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Fay

ez N

ure

ldin

e/A

FP

©

Veo

lia

ph

oto

lib

rary

- F

ayez

Nu

reld

ine/

AF

P

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Ren

é T

ang

uy


VIEWS

at DetroitA new look

PHOTO ESSAY BY CHRIS MALUSZYNSKI.VU AGENCY.

When he first arrived in Detroit in 2008, photographer Chris Maluszynski found a dangerous, abandoned city. The auto industry was facing the worst crisis it had ever seen and the once-booming Motor City was in ruins. But when he returned to the city in early 2013, Chris immediately sensed that the promise of something new and undefinable was beginning to take hold…


VUE DE NUIT DE MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION Michigan Central

Station, built in 1912-1913 by the same architects who designed New York’s Grand Central Terminal. After it closed in 1988, the station was vandalized and looted for all its valuables, including historic brass fi xtures and decorative railings.


VIEWS A NEW LOOK AT DETROIT

GREG WILLERER IN FRONT OF HIS FARM IN CORKTOWN, DETROIT Greg left his job as a

teacher to become an urban farmer. Today he tends 12 empty city lots, about an acre of land. His business, Brother Nature Produce, which is subsidized by the municipal authorities, sells about 100 kilograms of salad greens a week. 27 families get their produce from his agriculture co-op.

JENN MCGREEVY, AT EASTERN MARKET Jenn, who is from

the neighboring city of Hamtramck, makes her own pickles and sells them at Eastern Market every weekend. This popular farmers’ market attracts an eclectic variety of customers, partly because the number of supermarkets in Detroit has heavily declined, but also because the market off ers attractive prices and customers can even use food stamps.

DOWNTOWN DETROIT The group of seven

interconnected skyscrapers that make up General Motor’s world headquarters—the Renaissance Center, or “RenCen” as it is known to locals—make for a stark contrast with the abandoned warehouses by the waterfront.


VIEWS RETOUR À DÉTROIT


MURAL BY KATIE CRAIG Artist Katie Craig received

a Community + Public Arts Detroit (CPAD) grant to create The Illuminated Mural on the facade of an abandoned warehouse in the North End in 2010.

LEONARD GRAVES AT HOME AFTER A DAY’S WORK Graves is the only business-

man in Detroit whose shop sits on three wheels. He has been riding through the city selling ice cream from his bike for 15 years, and has recently expanded to include sausages.

DMYTRO SZYLAK, UKRAINIAN IMMIGRANT Dmytro created this unique

site, “Hamtramck Disneyland,” in the suburb of Hamtramck after retiring from General Motors.

VIEWS A NEW LOOK AT DETROIT


TODD MISTOR, IN CORKTOWN Todd checks

his trees at the nursery set up on an empty lot in Corktown, with a beautiful view of Michigan Central Station. Todd is a kind of urban forest ranger: he tends the trees for Detroit’s town hall, removing dead branches and planting saplings. The project could take on new trees, but given its poor fi nancial situation, the city depends entirely on donations from non-profi t organizations.


C hris has had a camera in his hands for as long as he can remember. Born in Warsaw into a family of academics, he left Poland in 1980, at the age of six, when his father

took a job as an IT professor in Denmark. One year later, General Jaruzelski declared martial law in Poland, preventing the family from returning home. As a result, young Chris grew up in Sweden, where he honed his skills with the lens, a tool that soon became his window onto the world. He was a precocious photographer. Imbued with his parents’ scientific curiosity, he improved his eye by taking pictures of friends, until a professional photographer noticed his talent and suggested he contact local newspapers. Then, against all expectations, he chose to study engineering at university. That is, until his passion got the better of him... Unable to reconcile the two pursuits, Chris gave up his career in science to “refocus”: he signed up for art history at the Sorbonne, spending a year in Paris, where he followed in the footsteps of luminaries like Doisneau and Cartier-Bresson. While still a student, he received his first commissions. He then went on to become a full-time photojournalist, working for a series of Swedish publications. Yet his independent spirit drove him onward. Chris dreamed of working on projects of his own. In 2002, he founded Moment, a Scandinavian freelance collective seeking to mesh artistic freedom with a solid network of professionals. All of its members were looking to tell their stories through photography. At the same time, Chris was presented with another amazing opportunity when the agency VU offered to represent him. Moment quickly became an eclectic group of artists covering a wide range of styles, and to celebrate its 10-year anniversary, the artists

prepared a collective work dubbed Scandinavian Moments, a road movie in which stereotypes of the region—tall, beautiful blondes and never-ending stretches of tundra, for example—are juxtaposed with a more personal take on contemporary Scandinavia. In the meantime, Chris moved to New York in 2005 to work as a correspondent for leading Swedish daily, Dagens Nyheter. He began to explore the country and turned his encounters with its marginalized populations—illegal immigrants, artists, writers, religious communities, etc.—into stunning portraits. His own statute as a foreigner and the strength he garnered from his position as an outsider undoubtedly helped him sympathize with these people who just keep on doing what they do, living with their choices.Then came the assignment in Detroit, Michigan. He arrived in 2008, in the middle of the financial crisis to find this former jewel in the US industrial crown totally devastated. Chris set about capturing the unease of the automotive industry, whose decades-long decline from former glory had slipped into a precipitous plunge with the onset of the crisis. He was back the following year, this time with a considerably lighter task: capturing the exploits of the (part-Swedish) Red Wings ice hockey team. Incredibly impressed by Detroiters’ ability to reinvent themselves and to believe in themselves when no one else did, he vowed to return to the city, which, despite its tremendous troubles, was showing new signs of life. His most recent story—shot in late 2012—focuses on the city’s unique do-it-yourself ethic and grassroots creativity, which are driving urban renewal. Chris Maluszynski already plans to document the changes brought about by this fragile, nascent revival.

Chris Maluszynski The whole world is his stomping ground and

the United States—where he lived for a number of years—is his favorite subject. Especially Detroit.

Photographer Chris Maluszynski paints an uncompromising fi rst-hand picture of the Motor City,

blending stark reality and self-suffi ciency with the prospect of revival.

BY GUILLAUME FROLET


VIEWS IBRAHIM MAYAKI

Ibrahim Mayaki

A vision for AfricaBY PATRICIA COIGNARD. PHOTO: CHRISTOPHE MAJANI D’INGUIMBERT FOR VEOLIA PHOTO LIBRARY

Former Prime Minister of Niger Ibrahim Assane Mayaki is a key name in African politics and is now beginning his second term as CEO of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). His somewhat unconventional career path refl ects his vision for a changing continent. A vision that is both clear and bold.

At first sight, Ibrahim Assane Mayaki has all the traits of a man of power. Just a few hours after arriving in Paris from South Africa, he is impeccably dressed, friendly, thoughtful

and focused. Mr. Mayaki’s personality shines through as soon as the 61-year-old Nigerian starts speaking. Former Foreign Minister of Niger, then the country’s Prime Minister from 1997 to 2000, he began his second term as CEO of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in 2012. On starting his new mandate, he volunteered a few life goals: “I strive for integrity in the ‘Anglo-Saxon’ sense. In other words, I aim to be as true to myself as possible. I make sure I find the time to do things other than work; to enjoy life with my family. To read. I prefer books on development issues.” He also happens to practice meditation and taekwondo, in which he is a fifth dan! He introduced the martial art in Niger in 1976.

This personal quest for balance throughout

an outstanding career comprising three consecutive “sequences” of 10 years—in education, mining and politics—has undoubtedly been instrumental in helping Ibrahim Assane Mayaki rise to the challenge he is about to overcome, working closely with a number of African leaders: getting the continent on track towards sustainable development and growth to make Africa a true stakeholder in the global economy. “We still too often forget that Africa has the largest share of arable land, the highest density of natural mineral resources and the youngest population in the world!” he explained.

The roadmap he promotes with NEPAD seeks to implement a synergistic approach in which each country plays its part, both individually and collectively, to ensure gradual, balanced, sustainable recovery. So what exactly does that involve?

The first goal is economic integration on a regional scale, with a focus on creating pan-African


VIEWS IBRAHIM MAYAKI

corridors: “In this respect, West and East Africa are highly representative regions.” The second is a more modern approach to agriculture: “Burkina Faso has significantly reduced poverty.” Third, the approach focuses on creating a more diverse rural economy to offset rampant urbanization and ensure the employment of young people “to prevent the kind of social implosion seen in Tunisia”. Next is the bid to improve the system of primary and secondary education, with a specific focus on technical training programs “that will underpin the industrialization process.” Last but not least, the campaign also aims to introduce innovative financial mechanisms and measures to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“This long-term strategy is now beginning to reap its rewards, with sustained annual growth of 5-7% across a continent that escaped the worst of the global economic and financial crisis. While Africa still needs to deal with regional conflicts, an outflow of capital, and food insecurity, which all hamper development, the successes of the past decade are proof that Africans are able to tap their potential—to support continuous

improvements in government and to promote economic development without relying on oil and uranium exports or foreign aid. In each major region of Africa, there are now two or three countries that are really emerging and driving the rest. And this is just the beginning.”

Since he left politics in Niger in August 2000, Ibrahim Mayaki has done his utmost to defend his practical vision of a stronger Africa. An activist by nature, he sets little store in the lure of power. Towards the end of his time as Prime Minister, he set up the Public Policy Analysis Center, “an independent think tank that gives recommendations on issues related to health and education.” In 2004, he was appointed Executive Director of Rural Hub, a Dakar-based organization supporting rural development stakeholders in West and Central Africa. He was recruited as Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD five years later, largely thanks to his track record with the Hub.

So what does the future hold? “Nobody can say what fate has in store. All we can do is remain clear-sighted and accept the opportunities that life brings our way.”

BRIEF BIOIbrahim Assane Mayaki was

born in Niger in 1951. His wife is from Venezuela. He has two children. Mr. Mayaki holds a Master’s degree from the National School of Public Administration (ENAP) in Quebec and a PhD in Administrative Sciences from Université Paris I.

1978-1987: Professor of Public Administration and Management in Niger

and in Venezuela 1988-1997: Head of strategy

and training for Nigerian engineers at SOMAIR, a Nigerian subsidiary of Areva

1996-1997: Minister of African Integration and Cooperation and Minister of Foreign Aff airs for the Republic of Niger November 1997–December

1999: Prime Minister of the Republic of Niger

2004: Executive Director of Rural Hub, a Dakar-based organization supporting rural development stakeholders in West and Central Africa

Since April 2009: Chief Executive Offi cer of NEPAD

Since 2010: Chairman of the Global Alliance against Cholera (GAAC)

FIGURES

1 in 2 African people is

under the age of 25.

50 years from now,

over 70% of the African

population will still be under

30 years of age.

40 out of 54 African countries now hold

democratic elections.

Nepad: promoting synergy throughout Africa The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was set up in 2001 and is still Africa’s only continent-wide development plan today. NEPAD joined the African Union (AU) in 2010 as the NEPAD Agency and the organization now has an offi cial, clearly defi ned mandate.Its Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) is a key driver in promoting the creation of cross-regional corridors—like the routes between Dakar, Libreville and Djibouti—which will provide a link between the capitals Bamako, Niamey, N’Djamena and Bangui by 2020. Other projects with strong economic potential include the Kribi–Bangui–Kisangani and Pointe-Noire–Brazzaville–Kinshasa–Bangui–N’Djamena corridors, and the coastal route between Abidjan and Lagos. The completion of the Trans-Saharan Highway in 2013 will provide both a road and fi ber-optic link between Niger, Nigeria and Algeria. Another priority project for NEPAD is the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), which has led to a 6% increase in agricultural productivity and seeks to encourage each country to allocate 6% of its public spending to the industry. Since 2007, NEPAD and the Veolia Foundation have been working together on a program to eliminate cholera in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “This philanthropic use of skills and expertise to help eradicate this terrible disease also aims to develop innovative partnership models that can be applied beyond the health sector,” explains Mr. Mayaki.

visionsNothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed:

the HPD evaporation-crystallization process separates liquids from

solids, making it possible to recover resources. With the creation

of Asteralis, Veolia Environnement and the French Alternative

Energies and Atomic Energy Commission are venturing into

a promising new fi eld: the dismantling and decontamination

of nuclear facilities. BioData is a new database that clearly

describes many sources of biomass and lists the combustion

technology best suited to each of them.


©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

Nic

ola

s V

erce

llin

o


Now more than ever, the time is ripe for technologies that meet the demands of industrial firms, which are under increasing pressure to protect water

resources and raw materials more effectively. These technologies help to reduce environmental impact—by improving performance and recovering resources—and to optimize production costs, by boosting productivity. One of the cutting-edge technologies developed in recent years is Veolia Water’s HPD® evaporation and crystallization process. Its main advantage is that by separating the liquids in effluent from the solids, the latter become recoverable materials. With 800 such industrial facilities in 30 countries, including Spain, Brazil, Indonesia and New Zealand, Veolia Water is now seen as one of the three global leaders in this field. New orders for this technology represented €440 million in sales in 2012, a record year. In the agricultural industry, where demographic pressure is increasing the demand for manures and fertilizers—the global market for potash has increased by 50% since 2009—the HPD process has enabled the Spanish fertilizer specialist, Iberpotash, to recover 750,000 metric tons a year of food-grade and chemical salts (mainly used for

Industrial fi rms are increasingly committed to combining productivity gains with the protection of natural resources. HPD® evaporation-crystallization technology, developed by Veolia Water, is the perfect solution. Read on to learn how it works.

A technology developed with industry in mind

salting roads) from production residues and 50,000 metric tons a year of white potash. In the south of Canada’s Saskatchewan province, in what is set to become one of the largest potash plants in North America, the subsidiary of K+S Potash, one of the world’s leading players in fertilizers, has chosen to incorporate evapo-crystallization into its processing sector to maximize potash production. The facility Veolia Water is currently developing for the company will reach its full capacity—2.86 million metric tons of the valuable material per year—in 2023. Still in Canada, but turning to bituminous sands, one of the largest players in the sector has made use of the technology in northern Alberta, to recycle and recover 40,000 barrels per day (6,350 cubic meters per day) of the water used in its production process. Recycling process water is an increasingly important issue for industry players everywhere, like in Brazil. The Brazilian firm GDK, for example, has signed a contract with Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies to build a plant for petrochemical giant Petrobras, Fafen-SE, in Sergipe state (Nordeste). Veolia will provide basic engineering and supply equipment for ammonium sulfate production. Following a reaction between ammonia and waste sulfuric acid from the nearby refining activities, the plant will use crystallization technology to produce 875 metric tons a day of fertilizer products.

BY HUBERT KERNEÏS


Circulator

Heat exchanger

VISIONS EVAPORATION-CRYSTALLIZATION

Salt crystals

Potash

Potash deposit

Dissolved potash

Water pumped in

Ore solution

Treated water

Recovery of resources

Evaporation-crystallization system

EVAPORATION AND POTASH EXTRACTION


Four possible benefits of the system

1 Treat effl uent in order to discharge a minimum amount of concentrate to specialized facilities.

2 Treat effl uent for reuse in the industrial process, thereby discharging a minimum amount of concentrate to specialized facilities.

3 Treat effl uent for discharge into the natural environment and recover concentrate.

4 Treat effl uent for reuse and recover concentrate.

GoalsEliminate pollutants

Recover resources

Evaporation-crystallization separates a given liquid (solution to be heated) into the elements it is composed of, which can then be transformed into crystals. In an industrial setting the salt crystals formed in the classifi cation zone of the crystallization chamber are removed from the solution, which remains at the bottom of the chamber. They are then recovered and refi ned for use.

• Salt and soda ash industries Treatment of effl uent and recovery of resources like sodium chloride

• Recycling and waste management industries Treatment of leachate

• Oil & gas industry Treatment of refi nery effl uent

• Mining and metal industries Treatment of mining solutions

• Potash and fertilizer industries Treatment of effl uent and recovery of resources like potassium salts, nitrates, potash and phosphorus

• Energy industries Ethanol/biofuels

• Paper industry Concentration of black liquor

MAJOR FIELDS IN WHICH EVAPORATION-CRYSTALLIZATION IS USED

Concentrate(treated

outgoing liquid)

Steam

Crystallization chamber

Recovery of crystalsSolution to be heated (incoming liquid filled with pollutants)

CONCENTRATION

CRYSTALLIZATION

EVAPORATION

CONDENSATIONEvaporation

chamber

Classification zone

Recycle water

Three states of matter:

solid liquid gas

depending on the

temperature and

pressure conditions

ILLUSTRATION: MARIETTE GUIGAL

CRYSTALLIZATION PROCESS


VISIONS DECOMMISIONING POWER PLANTS

It takes 10 years to design and build a nuclear power plant, which can then provide 50 to 60 years of active service. But how long does it take to decommission such a facility? And what are

the costs involved? These are the basic questions now being asked by all stakeholders in the civil nuclear industry. Besides the fact that many plants built in the 1960s and 1970s are naturally coming to the end of their lifecycle, these issues have loomed larger in the public eye—and in the industry—since the Fukushima disaster and Germany’s decision in 2011 to abandon nuclear energy, shutting down nine reactors by 2015 and eight more by 2022. Since then, the colossal task of gradually shutting down 300 reactors around the world in the space of 20 years has attracted new players keen to invest in this promising market. Yet they remain cautious, since many major uncertainties remain, stemming from a lack of experience in fully decommissioning facilities, up to and including complete treatment of waste and site remediation. According to the

With reactors built in the 1960s and 1970s showing their age, the nuclear industry must now tackle the problem of obsolete power plants—which paves the way for a promising new sector.

A new sector in the nuclear industry

BY HUBERT KERNEÏS

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), some 15 sites around the world have now undergone comprehensive decommissioning. However, these facilities are mostly first-generation nuclear plants, which are quite different from those currently in operation. One thing is clear: the costs involved tend to increase as operations near their end of life. That is hardly surprising, especially since environmental regulations grow increasingly stringent from one year to the next. Despite these reservations, many business sectors are looking at ways to take advantage of this vast market and make the best of the situation, given the specific requirements of the nuclear industry. Examples include companies specializing in robotics, measurements and handling services, along with those devoted to decontamination, dismantling and treatment of all types of waste, not just by-products of the nuclear industry. There is real potential to create a promising sector that will thrive for decades and generate jobs.


Real costs: the English exampleThe Berkeley nuclear power plant stands on the border between England and Wales. It is generally considered a benchmark in decommissioning operations worldwide and, in the eyes of some observers, an example of the diffi culties involved in putting a price on the process. Although the site’s reactors were shut down in 1989, the cost of decommissioning operations, which are still underway today, is now estimated at around €800 million—more than twice the amount earmarked in 2005. The resources brought into play have made it possible to seal two of the plant’s cores, and the two buildings used to house the reactors no longer require special monitoring. This critical achievement is what cast the site as an industry standard. However, the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA)—set up in 2004 to oversee decommissioning of the country’s power plants—believes that, to complete the project, intermediate-level waste must be buried for at least 60 years to reduce any associated risks. In 2074, 122 years after the site opened, this waste will be transferred to a long-term storage facility, the location of which has yet to be determined.

INTERVIEW

€220 BILLION for 300 reactors worldwide source: Arthur D. Little consulting fi rm

€40-50 billion over 50 years for 58 reactors (estimate)

$300 million per plant (estimate) source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission

€58 billion for all facilities (estimate)

€62 billion for all facilities (estimate)

DECOMMISSIONING FIGURES

FRANCE USA

UK GERMANY

“SOLUTIONS FOR DECOMMISSIONING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITES”

Robert Germinet

CEO of Asteralis

CEA: the nuclear energy expertThe French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a public authority as well as a leader in research, development and innovation. It tackles crucial contemporary issues, including low-carbon energy, information and healthcare technologies, very large-scale infrastructure (TGIR), and defense and global security. CEA teams rely on high-quality fundamental research to support industrial players in each of these four areas. The cutting-edge technologies developed and used by CEA over the past few years in nuclear facility decommissioning—such as remote radiological analysis techniques, simulation software and robotics—are available to French companies seeking contracts in the sector.

Veolia Environnement has

created Asteralis, a subsidiary

specializing in decontamination

and dismantling potentially

hazardous facilities. How important

is this new sector?

Taking only French civil nuclear plants into account, one figure comes to mind: the French Court of Auditors placed the cost of decontaminating and dismantling these sites at €31.9 million in a 2012 report by ASN, the French nuclear safety authority. Asteralis aims to become a key player in this field by “nuclearizing” the various areas of expertise—decontamination, dismantlement, remediation and waste management—that have made Veolia Environnement the global benchmark in environmental services.

How will the agreement signed

with CEA help Asteralis?

To begin focusing our know-how on the nuclear sector, we have signed a strategic agreement with CEA, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, which is the organization responsible for France’s position as the world leader in the nuclear power cycle. The goal of the agreement is to pool our respective areas of expertise in order to develop integrated decontamination and dismantling solutions. We will begin with pilot programs at the CEA sites in Cadarache and Marcoule, France. We will soon be able to assess the initial state of any facility, as well as its condition after decontamination and remediation.

©V

eoli

a p

ho

to l

ibra

ry -

C. M

ajan

i

54 Planet #02 May 2013 54 Planet octobre 2012

VISIONS BIOMASS


BioData on green energy sources

Olive pits, recycled wood, spent grain from brewing, coffee grounds, sunfl ower seed shells, corn cobs, sunfl ower meal, hemp bricks, barley straw, hevea, walaba, crabwood... This may sound like a recipe for an allegorical portrait by Arcimboldo1 but it is in fact just a sample of the many types of biomass fuel available today. Though this green source of primary energy is still much under-used, its development is a key driver in the bid to speed up the transition to a low-carbon society.Veolia Environnement’s R&D department is now exploring the many different ways of using biomass as a source of fuel. It has, for instance, developed a method of assessing the energy potential of the different biomass resources currently available. Each of these waste products is subjected to a whole battery of tests. Researchers then use the results to make recommendations on the best way—in both environmental and economic terms—to recover energy from each source. Veolia R&D has also compiled a database, dubbed BioData, which it uses to centralize fi ndings from its work characterizing the different sources of biomass fuel for boiler systems. The database provides a host of benefi ts, such as the ability to recommend optimal combustion technology, detail any boiler clogging risks, and predict the type of exhaust gases and ash that will be produced.

1- Sixteenth-century painter from Milan, Italy, best

known for creating imaginative caricatural, allegorical

portraits of “composite heads” made entirely of fruits,

vegetables and plants, often symbolizing seasons or

professions.

BIOMASS

BY ANNE BÉCHIRI

©W

este

nd

61,

©F

lick

r O

pen

, ©Z

en s

hu

i, ©

Veo

lia

ph

oto

lib

rary

- S

.Lav

ou

é, ©

Veo

lia

ph

oto

lib

rary

- C

.Maj

ani


MINING INDUSTRYrevamps its image

After a period of unprecedented growth in the 1980s, the global mining industry has been faced with public outcry from institu-tions and associations seeking to promote environmental protection for the past 20 years. The 1992 Rio Earth Summit revealed the first stirrings of initiatives—such as the International Council on Mining and Metals (made up of companies in the in-dustry)—designed to promote sustainable practices in a business sector that is respon-sible for some the most polluting activities on the planet. In 1994, the UN issued the Berlin Guidelines, providing the founda-tions of a code of conduct for mining op-erations worldwide. UNESCO conventions have also come to shape the implementa-tion of measures to protect the natural en-vironment, and an array of international treaties—on toxic waste, biodiversity and wetlands—have imposed restrictions on mining practices. On a national scale, indi-vidual governments are also tasked with drafting laws to control the impact of min-ing operations on their country’s soil. In the United States, for instance, the 1972 Clean Water Act introduced measures to ensure proper treatment of acid mine drainage. In 1991, South Africa’s Minerals Act intro-duced an environmental management program to regulate mining operations. In

Brazil, the federal constitution has required mining companies to repair any damage to the environment since 1998, while Mongolia introduced more stringent laws on water protection last year, imposing penalties on those failing to comply with standards. Some countries, such as India, are less vigilant, leaving mine operators to supervise themselves and issue their own environmental impact assessments, accord-ing to Human Rights Watch. In Zimbabwe, operators are not subject to any water qual-ity regulations, so civil society, backed by NGOs, is the only bastion of environmental activism in the country. Peru is home to a similar situation: in 2012, US mining cor-poration Newmont was refused a permit to operate a copper mine following protests by communities determined to protect their water resources. In Myanmar, how-ever, Nobel Peace Prize winner and politi-cian Aung San Suu Kyi is seeking to per-suade angry residents living near mining operations that contracts signed under the previous military regime must be honored, as part of a bid to reconcile economic devel-opment and human rights. At a time when the mining industry is experiencing a new boom, it is crucial that companies find sus-tainable solutions to the challenges of so-cial and environmental responsibility.

In light of recent events in Myanmar and Peru, both of which demonstrate diffi culties in reconciling economic growth with the need to safeguard the environment and protect human rights, increasing public outcry has encouraged mining companies to make sustainable development an integral part of their operations.

VISIONS NEWSWATCH

“International Environmental and Human Rights Law Aff ecting Mining Law Reform,” George R. Pring (2008) “Environmental management programmes as a tool for eff ective catchment management in Southern Africa,” Herco

Jansen (2010) “Evolution in Revegetation of Iron Ore Mines in Minas Gerais,” J.J. Griffi th and T.J. Toy (2001)

“Sustainability in the mining sector,” Clarissa Lins and Elizabeth Horwitz (2007) “Revision of Environmental

Laws in Mongolia and its impact on the mining sector,” Michael Aldrich and Chris Melville (2012) hrw.org

(Human Rights Watch, June 2012) lemonde.fr (21/12/2012) The Independent (13/03/2013) Global Water

Intelligence (www.globalwaterintel.com)

Anglo American is committed to being water neutral by 2030. As the company’s head of sustainable development and energy told UK daily The Guardian, “By 2030, we want our new mines to be water neutral. This means that they would be using 50% less water than they do now. And, from this reduced quantity, 80% of the water they do use would be recycled or recovered.”

In 2011, Barrick Gold tied a 20 MW wind farm into the Chilean grid, supplying enough power for 10,000 households. This farm is part of a broader renewable energy initiative. For example, the Canadian mining company also invested in a wind farm that now provides up to 20% of electricity for its Veladero mine in Argentina. windsystemsmag. com

Anglo-Australian company Rio Tinto signed an agreement with the Western Australian government to relinquish its entitlement to local water supplies. Instead, the company will develop a coastal water supply project to secure water resources for its iron ore operations. miningenvironmental.com

Targeted by NGOs as a result of its nickel mining operations in Weda Bay (Indonesia), French company Eramet has announced that it will take every possible step to ensure no net loss in biodiversity. ressources-et-environnement.com

IN THE NEWS

FIGURES

200The amount of water that will have to be treated every day between now and 2015 to prevent acid mine drainage pollution of the rivers that provide Johannesburg’s water supply.

MILLION LITERS

MILLION METRIC TONS

$7.7 BILLION The amount of money spent by mining companies in 2011 to build water-related infrastructure, including $818 million spent on treatment, fi ltration and desalination. This fi gure could reach $13.6 billion by 2014.

180The amount of toxic waste discharged into rivers and oceans as a result of mining operations each year.

ILLEGAL TRAFFIC IN E-WASTE:the growth of a black market

All of the world’s mature economies are striving to establish waste disposal procedures to manage e-waste and curb its export to developing countries. The recycling rate is increasing as corporations begin to take social and environmental responsibility more seriously. Nevertheless, a significant proportion of the 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste generated each year is illegally sent to countries in Asia (e.g. China, India and Pakistan) and Africa (e.g. Ghana and Nigeria). This traffic is in total disregard of the Basel Convention, which, since 1992, has required control of cross-border movements of hazardous waste. According to estimates by the NGO Basel Action Network, the United States—the only major power that has not ratified the treaty—ships 50 to 80% of the e-waste it collects to China and Africa, and the European Environment Agency reports that up to 1.3 million metric tons leave the US every year. These findings are all the more worrying because the trade remains difficult to track and therefore to control, particularly in the form of second-hand electronic equipment, which it is legal to export to developing countries.

To dispose of a device that has reached the end of its life, traffickers simply ship “disguised” waste to places where the cost of processing per metric ton is not subject to the constraints imposed by environmental standards. According to Europol, the increasing influence of organized crime gives reason to fear there may be an increase in this traffic, which often runs out of Italy or the Netherlands. And even if legislation exists in the importing countries, it can scarcely keep the informal recycling sector in check. For example, China, which since 1996 has prohibited the import of hazardous waste, remains the number one destination in the world. Unfortunately, better tracking of containers and stricter customs inspections will not be enough to contain the problem. Manufacturers need to take greater responsibility for the situation—something ONGs have been seeking to impress upon them. As a result, LG has committed to using certified recyclers, while Dell, Apple and Samsung are supporting the draft of the US Responsible Electronics Recycling Act, which would make it possible to prohibit exports from the world’s largest generator of e-waste.

Last November, the Dutch charterer of the cargo vessel Probo Koala was ordered to pay €1.7 million for having dumped hun-dreds of metric tons of electronic waste in Abidjan in 2006. The incident caused 16 deaths and sickened nearly 100,000 people. New York Times, 11/17/12

Instead of making futile attempts to prohibit imports of e-waste, the Asia-Pacifi c countries would do better to make a concer-ted eff ort to increase their recycling capa-cities, according to a Filipino consultant. A structured and secure system would make it possible to recycle these resources, which are in high demand in China and India, more effi ciently.

scidev.net, 11/30/12

Fed by the increasing consumption of equipment with an ephemeral life cycle, the volume of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE or e-waste) is the object of a fl ourishing illegal traffi c that police and law enforcement agencies have not been able to stop.

IN THE NEWS

SPOTLIGHT

IN FIGURES

320 electronic circuits in 2011. Only 15% of that amount is recovered, both in developed and developing countries.

METRIC TONS OF GOLD

$2.5The average cost of processing a ton of toxic waste in Africa, compared to $250 in Europe. source United Nations Environment Program

BY GUILLAUME FROLET

ban.org, Basel Action Network lemonde.fr reuters.com euractiv.fr “Recycling Electronic Wastes in

Nigeria: Putting Environmental and Human Rights at Risk,” Christine Terada “Movements of waste across

the EU’s internal and external borders,” European Environment Agency “Gestion des déchets dangereux et

responsabilité sociale des fi rmes [Management of hazardous waste and corporate social responsibility],” Faouzi

Bensebaa and Fabienne Boudier



VISIONS UPCOMING EVENTS

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS

MAI 2013SMARTGREENS, 2nd

International Conference on Smart Grids and Green IT Systems, Aachen, Germany May 9–10

The conference is the occasion for researchers, designers, developers and specialists to get a fi rsthand look at the most recent advances in smart grids, green IT and energy-effi cient technology.

9th International Conference on Biofi lm Reactors, Paris, France May 28–31

Veolia Water and the International Water Association are bringing together biofi lm researchers and operational experts (consultants, equipment manufacturers, operators, etc.) to discuss the most recent advances in biofi lm reactor research, development and design. The agenda will include a review of all uses of biofi lm reactors, an assessment of the impact of their use on water and wastewater treatment, and a tour of the SIAAP wastewater treatment plant in Achères, near Paris, the largest such plant in Europe.

JUNE 2013The Sound of Cycling –

Urban Cycling Cultures, Vienna, Austria June 11–14

This international gathering promotes cycling as an effi cient, healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Presentations and workshops will address ecomobility, urban development politics and new technologies while focusing on this year’s theme: urban cycling cultures.

AUGUST 201316th International

Conference on Diff use Pollution and Eutrophication, Beijing, China August 18–23

The Chinese Academy of Science and the International Water Association have invited scientists and experts to discuss the issues of diff use pollution and eutrophication. Since these two phenomena increasingly aff ect water resources, developing new approaches to protect reserves and manage sources of pollution has become crucial.

7th International Conference on Sewer Processes and Networks, Sheffi eld, United Kingdom August 28–30

This event aims to establish a comprehensive overview of the technical and scientifi c issues facing wastewater treatment networks, including design, treatments, impacts, monitoring, new challenges and emerging technologies.

SEPTEMBER 2013How to Implement Risk

Management Principles and Activities within a Quality Management System, Philadelphia, United States September 9–10

The goal of this training course off ered by the Center for Professional Innovation and Education is to teach attendees how to eff ectively meet the requirements of risk management for medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and biological products and processes within a quality management system.

FORUMS AND SUMMITS

MAY 2013AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN RECYCLING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT Who is the best recycler? The site letsrecycle.com recognizes the most successful initiatives in waste management in 11 categories covering the public, business, industry and municipal sectors. May 16, London, United Kingdom

http://www.awardsforexcellence.co.uk/

JUNE 2013ECOLOGY & SAFETY 2012, 22ND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM This event provides a forum for participants to share their contributions in the fi elds of energy, climate change, ecology, health, civil defense and disaster management. June 7–11, Sunny Beach, Burgas, Bulgaria

http://www.sciencebg.net/en/events/

symposiums/ecology-and-safety/

10TH RENEWABLE ENERGY FINANCE FORUM – WALL STREET Through presentations and discussions the forum will address the challenges facing the renewable energy market, which has been impacted by the sluggish economy, the credit crunch, investor fears and regulatory uncertainty. June 25–26, New York, United States

http://www.reff wallstreet.com/

SEPTEMBER 20136TH KNOWLEDGE CITIES WORLD SUMMIT This year the Summit will focus on initiatives that seek to build sustainable information management strategies, which are essential for cities committed to learning and knowledge.September 9-13, Istanbul, Turkey

http://www.kcws2013.org

WATER INNOVATION SUMMIT Organized by the Cleantech Group, this event hosts discussion groups to tackle the challenges facing water innovation, bringing together prominent investors, public service managers and business leaders.September 10–11, Berkeley, United States

http://events.cleantech.com/waterfocus/

JULY 20138TH RENEWABLE ENERGY EXHIBITION

400 exhibitors will share the latest renewable energy technologies, applications and service off erings with visitors. July 24–26, Tokyo, Japan

http://www.renewableenergy.jp/english/

SEPTEMBER 2013WORLD WATER WEEK This major event in the fi eld of international cooperation on water issues will highlight the crucial role partnerships play in the fi ght to achieve sustainable access to drinking water worldwide.September 1–6, Stockholm, Sweden

http://www.worldwaterweek.org


A handbook of innovations for cities and regionsThis handbook for local authorities presents 40 innovative and concrete solutions implemented by Veolia Environnement—or currently being tested—in several cities. It aims to help cities and regions successfully make the transition to sustainable development.

Kios

kIn bookstores

Online check it out at www.veolia.com/en/medias/web-tv/

Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Portfolio 22 Published by the British National History Museum (€29.57). This powerful collection contains all the winning and commended images from the Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2012 competition, the most prestigious event of its kind in the world, open to both professionals and amateurs.

Kios

k

Check it out at www.thecitiesoftomorrow.com

Smart Industry by Dalkia

In this series of videos, industrial clients Bonduelle, in Hungary; SKF, in France; and DEMB (formerly Sara

Lee), in the Netherlands, share their experience of the advantages offered by technical energy solutions.

IS A PUBLICATION OF VEOLIA ENVIRON NEMENT(38, avenue Kléber – 75116 Paris – France)

Publication Director: Laurent Obadia. Editorial Director: Christophe Valès. Editorial Manager: Christian Dexemple. Editor-in-Chief: Françoise de Voronine. Image content: Laure Duquesne, Gilles Hureau. With special contributions from: Benoît Bardon, Arnaud Jean, Sandra Vedel. Dominique Boizeau, Sebastien Bessenet, Claire Billon-Galland, Sandhya Bonnet, Jean-Paul Camus, Delphine Cuny, Jim Dykhuis, Sylvaine Leriquier, Claire Lhoutellier, Chloe Masson, Jean-Pierre Spanu, Robin Young, Aurélia Vincent. Maurice Cosandey. Copyright: May 2013. ISSN number: 1761-4996. Production Consultancy: Jean-Claude Le Dunc. Translation: Sémantis. Cover photos: Confab/VWS Brasil LTDA; Chris Maluszynski/VU Agency; Veolia photo library: Fayez Nureldine/AFP; Rodolphe Escher; Keiko Hiromi/Polaris/Interlinks Image.

PUBLISHED BY BORDS DE LOIR Editorial Advisor: Étienne Collomb. Assistant Editor: Anne Béchiri. Art Director: Jean-Jacques Farré. Coordination: Sylvie Roussel. Production Manager: Caroline Lagaillarde. Printed by: SIEP PEFC-certifi ed Packaging, sorting and mailing by Log-ins, a disability-friendly company.

Pla et

a new look at methanol montluÇon leads … new look at methanol montluÇon leads the way hope in...

Documents