Spanish Hazardous Waste to Energy Incinerator Acquired by Veolia Subsidiary, SARP

Via its specialist subsidiary, SARP Industries, Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) has acquired Spain’s only hazardous waste incinerator, located in Constanti, Catalonia. According to the company the facility is one of the most efficient in Europe and has been added to the Group’s European Platform for the treatment of Hazardous Waste, which already had 64 sites in nine countries. Located in the heart of the Tarragona petrochemicals complex, the 60,000 tonne per year capacity Constanti facility is said to benefit from Catalonia’s dynamic industrial sector. In particular, Veolia noted that this region concentrates 40% of Spain’s chemicals and pharmaceuticals business, and 30% of its automobile production, which together generate a high volume of liquid, solid and sludge hazardous waste from their industrial processes. The facility, which recovers around 25 GWh of energy from waste chemicals each year was opened in 2000 and had been operated by Grecat, a consortium of BASF, Comsa Emte and Ecocat. “Hazardous waste treatment is a market with high growth potential. Our Group, with its innovative processes producing high quality raw materials, has access to unique technology, expertise and an organisation that will underpin its growth in the treatment of difficult-to-treat pollution,” commented Jean-François Nogrette, president of SARP Industries, Veolia’s specialised subsidiary and the historic stakeholder in the management of hazardous waste. “With this acquisition and the integration of the Constanti facility into our European Platform for Hazardous Waste, Veolia has extended the provision of its services to industrial concerns in southern Europe, a region with a shortage of dedicated facilities,” he added. Veolia explained that its strategy is to serve various European industrial sectors with the specialised facilities of its European Platform for the treatment of Hazardous Waste with 65 sites in France, England, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Hungary and Spain. Between these sites Veolia said that it treats and recovers 2.9 million tonnes of hazardous waste per year. The company added that it has adopted a Europe-wide approach by significantly specialising its facilities, which complement each other and work together across the continent. According to Veolia, this specialisation enables it to meet the requirements of Europe’s major industrial sectors, such as, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automobile and energy for which treating hazardous waste and securing the supply of recycled materials are crucial. This strategy is said to provide industrial concerns with a major advantage and makes it possible to meet specific needs while at the same time renewing conventional economic models. Read More VIDEO: VICE Documentary on Waste Coal Ash Pollution in the U.S. VICE has published a two part documentary series looking at the issues surrounding the estimated 113 million tonnes of waste ash produced by coal fired power stations in the U.S. each year. U.S. E-Waste Recycling Firms Join Forces on LCD Mercury & Other Specialised Services E-waste recycler, 3S International, has formed strategic partnerships with regional and national recycling companies including IMS Electronics, Kuusakoski Recycling, Sims Recycling Solutions and Valley City Electronic Recycling as part of its strategic growth plan. All Change for Waste & Recycling Collections on Spain’s Gulf of Cádiz When the financial crash came in 2008 it had a devastating impact on the Spanish economy, but waste and recycling still needed collecting. Timothy Byrne takes a look at the how things have changed in the resort towns around Lepe on the Portuguese boarder… VIDEO: Great Food Waste Documentary – Dumpster Diver Rob Green Close Up A short documentary published by Full Frame CCTV America follows dumpster diver and food waste campaigner, Rob Green as he highlights the quantity of perfectly edible food discarded by major retailers in the U.S. each day.