CNIM plays a major role in sustainable development

CNIM did not wait for the general public to become recently aware of the necessity of sustainable development. As early as 1965, with the company Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, it launched a programme for waste-to-energy processing of household waste (the Issy-les-Moulineaux plant). It has largely contributed to installing the units required in France. From the beginning this solution has been considered as a major progress. Today this technology is even more necessary due to the considerable increase in urbanisation and the the fact that pollution control has become essential, even though some incidents and rare but strongly publicised accidents have brought (in our opinion unjustified) criticisms from certain environmentalists and as for other new technologies being currently developed, a certain reserve from some associations.

But waste-to-energy processing, particularly as a source of renewable energy is no longer a pioneer project and is now regulated by the worldwide most stringent standards with regard to reliability, health and safety. It is also part of, particularly in Europe, a general waste management policy and represents a major source for recycling and energy production. This is shown in a document drawn up by Cyclope with the support of Veolia in 2006 the market of global waste is in constant growth.

In 2006, the market of household waste was estimated to represent 120 billion dollars in the industrialised countries and 170 billion dollars if the emerging countries (China, India, and Brazil) are included. This market comprises collecting, dumping, recycling, composting and waste-to-energy processing. CNIM is involved in several of these activities, offering advice to local authorities, and it holds a strong position in France and increasingly in Europe in waste-to-energy processing and flue gas treatment. Even if recycling is improving and without denying the existence of other types of treatment, there remains substantial amount of non recyclable waste which represents a significant source of energy. The market is growing. It takes up an important place in countries with high population density (Singapore, Japan) but also in Europe in the Nordic countries which are very environmentally aware. Other countries like Great Britain use this technology to reach European targets of renewable energy production for 2050 (12% of the total internal energy consumption and 22.5% of electricity produced).

Modern waste treatment represents one of the possible solutions to achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gases. There is no doubt that techniques ranging from recycling to waste-to-energy processing will develop further. Taking into consideration massive demographic growth, accelerated urbanisation and rising living standards in emerging countries it is easy to understand that the market for waste treatment will continue to grow for a long time with waste-to-energy conversion playing a prime role.