Technologies and environmental eco-activities in the Val d’Oise

The Val d'Oise is playing its part in the rise of environmental engagement, hosting the largest biomass heating plant in France at Cergy-Pontoise, the model nanofiltration water treatment plant at Méry-sur-Oise and Véolia Environnement's training centre at Jouy-Le-Moutier.

 France is keen to welcome champions of green growth. State recognition of competitiveness clusters dedicated to eco-technologies relating to water, waste management, construction and energy illustrate this desire. Water, treatment of soil pollution, carbon sequestration, deep geothermal energy, energy from waste, sustainable buildings and noise treatment all represent sources of economic potential offering perspectives for growth in French industry. France has more waste treatment plants than any other European country (365 incinerator plants, compared to 154 in Germany and 164 in Italy). Their purpose is

to minimise the hazardous nature of waste as well as make it easier to handle and recycle. It is estimated that France has over 8000 eco-businesses; the national market represents 20% of the European market as a whole. These companies employ a total of 650,000 people. France is characterised by the presence of worldleading multinationals alongside highly dynamic SMEs. Thanks to the presence of eco-industry multinationals, the Ile-de-France region accounts for half the national turnover in this sector and 50,000 jobs: a clear indication of the role played by the region in developing businesses working in the field.

The Val d'Oise département is part of the Île-de-France region, which is responsible for half of all national eco-activity turnover. The Val d'Oise itself is already home to some 300 companies working in this rapidly expanding sector.

«In order to keep pace with this rapidly-expanding sector (with average annual growth of between 5 and 10%, rising to 10-12% for waste processing and 30-40% for new energy technologies), national, regional and department initiatives will be taken throughout France with the aim of structuring this key sector ".
Department of Enterprise, Competition, Consumption, Labour and Employment, Ile-de-France Region.

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D'ores Ile-de-France as a whole and the Val d'Oise in particular already benefit from a number of important assets for the development of ecoindustries:
the historical origin of a large number of environmental technologies, designed and developed in the region;
a closely-knit fabric of innovative SMEs working in specific technological niches;
major private and public-sector R&D centres;
the presence of multinationals in leading

positions in traditional environmental sectors;
a broad variety of consulting,
engineering and service professionals. The Val d'Oise is home to some 300 companies involved in environmental technology, spread across a number of fields. Every aspect of eco-activity (waste, water, air, noise, soil and energy) is represented in the Val d'Oise to differing degrees. In terms of the number of companies, waste tops the list, accounting for 48% of all companies, followed by water (29%) and just 4% relating to noise. 40%

are commercial in nature, 35% are industrial, while the remaining 25% are service-based. One of the historic flagship companies is Véolia Environnement, which set up its training centre here in 1994: every year, it welcomes 14,000 interns (6,500 on its Campus) and over 10,000 other visitors

The Val d'Oise Economic Development Board (Comité d'Expansion Économique du Val d'Oise, CEEVO) promotes fields of excellence locally. It works with networks of high-performance companies involved in these sectors, supporting projects designed to bring together the department's economic and institutional stakeholders through the Conseil Général's 2009-2019 Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development of the Economy and Employment.

SOME OF THE TOP COMPANIES IN THE VAL D'OISE

AACTIBIO (Treatment products and biological filters) - Montmagny

ASHLAND France (Water treatment) - Bezons 

CANADA CLIM (Low-energy heating and air conditioning solution) - L'isle Adam

CGECP (Waste sorting, incineration and composting) - Saint-Ouen-L'aumone

FASEO (Renewab le energies) - Argenteuil

HYTEC INDUSTRIE (Construction of liquid industrial effluent treatment plants) - Saint-Ouen-L'aumone

IDEX ÉNERGIES (Climate control) - L'isle Adam

SIDAC (Waste processing equipment) - Ennery

SILEX INTERNATIONAL (Manufacture and marketing of hydrometric, groundwat er depollution and pumping equipment) - Ennery

ULTRAFILTER (Air handling equipment) - Vigny

VÉOLIA PROPRETÉ IDF (Industrial waste reception for sorting and recycling) - Goussainville

WATERLEAU France (Air depollution) - Cergy

COVED (Waste collection and processing) - Argenteuil

ECO-INDUSTRIES AND ECO-ACTIVITIES: A QUICK GUIDE

 The OECD definition of eco-industry refers to "activities which produce goods and services to measure, prevent, limit, minimize or correct environmental damage to water, air and soil, as well as problems related to waste, noise and eco-systems." These eco-activities may be exercised by public administrations such as municipalities, local area authorities or private companies: the latter are known as "eco-businesses". Eco-businesses in France are enjoying rapid growth: overall, they grow faster in economic terms than the national average, successfully export their products and expertise and have a highly promising outlook. The growing awareness of the fragility of our mode of development is inciting governments to adopt increasingly stringent environmental policies; in turn, these generate new markets for ecobusinesses. What is more, the OECD/Eurostat definition specifies that eco-activities include "technologies, products and services that reduce environmental risk and minimise pollution and resources..." The definition excludes the manufacture of products and equipment which are "clean" or "lean" (in terms of energy or raw materials). However, any clearly identifiable research/ development and engineering activity prior to the marketing of such "cleaner" or "lowenergy- use" products has been classified as an eco-activity. The field of eco-activities also includes all companies whose activity is related indirectly to the first type of company: industrial products designed solely for environmental use and construction activities requiring

specific technical expertise. Unlike 'curative' activities (such as end-ofprocess collection and treatment of polluting effluents, waste disposal, subsequent depollution of contaminated sites and soils and so on) which currently make up the majority of eco-industrial activities, 'preventive' activities are aimed at introducing changes to the design and operation of production systems and urban districts.

THE ECO-INDUSTRY NETWORK

 Launched in September 2004, the Yvelines / Val d'Oise eco-industry network is the fruit of an initiative by the Versailles Val d'Oise / Yvelines Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Composed of companies which are leaders in their respective fields, its purpose is to bring together key expertise and skills relating to the environment in the following fields:
- waste collection, processing and recycling
- production of industrial water and treatment of waste water,
- treatment of gas emissions,
- reduction of noise and vibrations from equipment, etc.,
- soil depollution and site restoration,
- equipment for the production of renewable energies,
- emissions analysis and measurement,
- consultancy and design relating to the environment and sustainable development; High Environmental Quality (HQE) construction. The aim of this network is to enhance members' individual and collective competitiveness by promoting dialogue between local stakeholders.

Higher education and research:

LAMBE: Analysis and Modelling for Biology and the Environment - University of Cergy-Pontoise - Saint Martin Site
ERRMECe: Extracellular matrix/cellular relationships research team - University of Cergy-Pontoise - Saint Martin Site
L2MGC: Civil engineering mechanics and materials lab - University of Cergy-Pontoise - Neuville Site
LPPI: Physical Chemistry of Polymers and Interfaces Laboratory - University of Cergy-Pontoise - Neuville Site
GEC: Cergy Geoscience and Environment lab - University of Cergy-Pontoise - Neuville Site

SATIE: Information Technology and Energy Systems and Applications Laboratory - University of Cergy-Pontoise - Neuville Site
SOSCO: Selective Organic Synthesis and Organometallic Chemistry laboratory - University of Cergy-Pontoise - Neuville Site
MRTE: Mobility, Networks, Localities and the Environment - University of Cergy-Pontoise - Chênes 2 Site

Trainings:

The ESSEC offers a Masters specialising in Urban Management, Environment and Services.
The EISTI offers a Masters specialising in Local Risk Management.
The ITIN offers a number of Masters in network and communications engineering.
The ISTOM trains engineers in International Agro-Development.

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CERGY-PONTOISE A UNIVERSITY MASTERS IN INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS

DThe University of Cergy-Pontoise offers a professional Masters at the crossroads between civil engineering, electrical engineering and industrial computer science. Students have to complete practical technical projects (100 hours) and at least 26 weeks' worth of work placements over two years.

Tel. : +33 (0)1.34.25.69.40.
E-mail : norma ancelm@u-cergy-fr
ouThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it."> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(tel. +33 (0)1.34.25.69.00).

THE VAL D'OISE PLAYING ITS PART IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITH VÉOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT

Véolia Environnement is the only multinational to bring together services covering water, energy, transport and cleaning, with over 330,000 employees in 72 countries. Its subsidiary Véolia Propreté Île-de-France offers global and environmentally-friendly solutions for all types of waste, including collection and recycling through sorting, composting, incineration and storage. Located in the Val d'Oise, the Goussainville Regional Agency manages a number of facilities, including Véolia Propreté Île-de-France's Non-Hazardous Waste Storage site, the final and vital link in the waste processing chain on the multi-activity site at Plessis-Gassot Bouqueval. This site, which employs some 100 people, features the very latest technology in recycling and care for the environment. Waste is inspected immediately on arrival: its origin, the identity

of the customer and carrier, the type of waste, the presence of any radioactivity and so on are all recorded for maximum traceability. Visual inspection enables pre-sorting of recyclable waste such as cardboard, plastic, steel and wood. The rest is buried in specific compartments to ensure groundwater is not contaminated, equipped with a drainage system to collect the biogas produced by waste fermentation. This biogas is then routed to an energy-from-waste unit, where it is turned into electricity. Rainwater which has passed through the waste is also treated and purified before being returned to the natural environment. Véolia Propreté Île-de-France also manages a number of other facilities in the Val d'Oise, with collection points and processing centres at Vigny, Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône and Sarcelles and a Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) treatment plant at Gonesse. Since 1994, the Val d'Oise has also been home to the Véolia Environnement Campus. This accommodates a lifelong training centre, an Institute of the Urban Environment and the headquarters of the group's Training Department.

Véolia Environnement Campus: facts and figures ------------------------------------------

Located in the grounds of the Écancourt Château estate in Jouy-Le-Moutier, the Véolia Environnement Campus has 22,000 m2 of space. It caters for 610 apprentices, 14,000 interns (6,500 of them on the Campus itself) and over 10,000 visitors annually. In terms of initial training, it offers 16 professional diplomas relating to water, cleaning, transport and energy, ranging from NVQ-type qualifications to Masters, and dispenses a total of 450,000 hours' worth of lifelong training to the group's employees.

HYTEC INDUSTRY LEADER IN THE FIELD OF ANTI-POLLUTION

Located in the Val d'Oise since 1988, Hytec Industrie is an engineering company which specialises in the design, construction and maintenance of industrial effluent treatment and recycling facilities. With a workforce of 40, the company has commercial sites in Cergy-Pontoise (its headquarters), Lyon and Poitiers. It operates at every stage of the water management cycle in industry: treating raw water prior to use (filtration, ion exchange, reverse osmosis); consumption control and recycling (ion exchange and membrane separation; evapoconcentration; purifying residual water prior to discharge using physical/chemical or biological processes). The company has already set up over 500 installations, some 30 of them abroad, in fields as diverse as surface treatment and mechanics, chemicals, the glass industry, cardboard manufacture, industrial laundry, agribusiness, waste treatment and groundwater depollution. Hytec Industrie has also structured its service business to address the growing need for contracted maintenance and operation. In addition to a large number of SMEs, the company's customers include Alcatel, Arcelor, Areva, Bic, BRGM, EADS, Faurecia, Monnaie de Paris, PSA, RATP, Renault, Saint- Gobain,

Socar Smurfit, SNCF, Total and other well-known firms. Its local customers include Air France Industries in Roissy, Dassault Aviation and André Richard in Argenteuil, the Inter-Hospital Laundry in Gonesse, Atotech, Elis Localinge and Lisi Automotive in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône. In 2009, Hytec Industrie was awarded ISO 14001 certification, further strengthening its credibility in terms of sustainable development.


www.hytec-industrie.com

ASHLAND INDUSTRIES FRANCE SAS: TREATING WATER WITHOUT MISTREATING THE ENVIRONMENT

Established in 1924, Ashland Water Technologies is one of the five leading companies worldwide for chemical additives and products designed for environmentallyfriendly water treatment. Its French subsidiary Ashland Industries France SAS is headquartered in Alizay in the Eure, while its administrative and sales departments (employing some 100 people) have been located in Bezons in the Val d'Oise since 1991. Wholeheartedly committed to environmental protection, Ashland devises and formulates its own products, favouring the use of raw materials and technologies with the least possible impact on health, safety and environment. With a focus on water treatment, over the last 15 years Ashland has developed products and equipment ranges based on renewable raw materials and with minimal or even zero impact on the environment. Its revolutionary technologies include the Enviroplus® corrosion inhibitor range (*) and the Sonoxide® ultrasound water treatment system (**). As a result, Ashland is a leading supplier for a number of sectors: mining, chemicals (adhesives, industrial coatings, inks, pigments and so on), mechanical and manufacturing industries (automotive, pharmaceuticals, textiles, etc.) as well as municipal water treatment plants. There is considerable growth in demand from the tertiary sector (offices, schools, hospitals, etc.)

and agribusiness (beverages, canning plants and dairy products). A score of its clients are located in the Val d'Oise. Ashland is also the world's leading producer of chemical products with minimal health impact for the manufacture of paper.

www.ashland.com

(*) corrosion inhibitors and dispersants, including a biodispersant which occurs naturally in orange peel!
(**) a non-chemical biocide water treatment system based on a combination of ultrasound and air bubbles