SLUDGE TREATMENT: A STRATEGIC AND COMMERCIAL VENTURE
The treatment of sludge produced by wastewater treatment plants constitutes a significant strategic and commercial venture. In France, 60% of sludge is recycled by agriculture, 15% is incinerated and 25% is sent to landfills. Sludge is frequently perceived as waste and the agricultural spraying of it increasingly regulated. Operators, who are responsible for its disposal, thus tend to prefer to transform it into compost or dry it to obtain a certified processed product.
This is why SUEZ has combined its sludge know-how under a single entity, Biosol. Jointly owned by Lyonnaise des Eaux France (55%) and SITA France (45%), the company began operating at Castelnaudary (south of France) in early 2003. It will provide assistance on all major sludge projects, track investments, and handle the operational coordination of its proprietary treatment platforms, over which it will retain ownership. By bringing together several customers in this way, Biosol will have larger installations and be able to optimize its processing costs.
