A SECOND LIFE FOR MOTOR OIL ULTRAPURE …...sustainable solutions from around the world Sustainia:...

BORÅS: BLOWING HOT BUT NEVER COLD

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A SECOND LIFE FOR MOTOR OIL ULTRAPURE WATER FOR MEMORY MODULES MEN AMONG DUNES

LONDON’S STANDARD-BEARER FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT

2 zzzz Planet #03 z October 2013 z

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#03October 2013

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z 2013 October z Planet #03 zzzz 3

FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE OF CITIES AND REGIONS

EDITORIAL

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FactsTrout, the guardians of our rivers zSustainia: sustainable solutions from around the world z God save the Thames London Water z Central Africa combats cholera z

SolutionsPioneering Borås aims for zero fossil fuels zOsilub, the new waste oil recycling plant, is a response to the 2008 EU directive z SK Hynix lowers consumption of ultrapure water used in memory module manufacture z

HorizonsAn integrated waste management facility for the London borough of Southwark z

ViewsPortfolio Stéphane Lavoué captures the men amid the dunes z Portrait Catherine Barbaroux, the citizen z

VisionsGrowing Blue or how the Internet is playing a role in water resource management zThe environment in China through the eyes of Professor Yu Gang z Open innovation to Warsaw’s Heat-Tech Center z

z This third issue of Planet unveils an array of new solutions provided by Veolia, ranging from managing water resources efficiently in South Korea and eliminating fossil fuels in Sweden to achieving record recycling in the UK and reusing engine oil in France. In Seoul, SK hynix is recycling an increasing amount of ultrapure water to clean its DRAM memory modules, which are widely used around the globe. The pioneering city of Boras is well on the way to achieving its goal of freedom from fossil fuels, an area in which the Swedish city has come to set the standard, drawing on over a century of endeavor. In the London borough of Southwark, the local council has embraced a radical new approach to household waste management by adopting an in-depth, socially responsible solution. In Le Havre, the Osilub plant set up in partnership with Total has achieved a record recycling yield of 75% for waste engine oil in Europe. Providing solutions also means discussing and sharing ideas to unearth new approaches. The website growingblue.com invites us to assess our impact on water resources and think carefully about our future. The knowledge-sharing campaign underway in China with Tsinghua University’s School of Environment encourages a better balance between growth and respect for the environment. The new Veolia continues to take shape across the world with each passing day. z

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FRANCE LIMAGRAIN PROMOTES BIOMASS z The world’s fourth largest seed company is pursuing its corporate social responsibil-ity (CSR) initiative with the introduction of a biomass boiler that burns corncobs, a fuel with a much higher calorific value than wood chips. The pilot project, a first in Europe, was set up at one of the company's French production sites. The operator, Dalkia, brought Veolia R&D teams on board to overcome the challenge of fine-tuning the combustion of this new energy source, in part to measure its environmental impact. Mission accomplished. The site’s carbon footprint has been reduced by over 2,600 metric tons and possible applications for the residual ash are being considered. z

z TIA, a regional approach to innovation.In France, the Innovation Agency has called on the services of companies able to provide original regional solutions. In partnership with Veolia Research and Innovation, it brings together companies specializing in advanced digital technologies, such as Orange. Two calls for proposals to build smart grids are underway. z

z Breweries for the Clean Water Act. You can’t make quality beer without quality water. In April, a group of US brewers joined forces with environmental pressure group Natural Resources Defense Council to defend the Clean Water Act. This federal law, which has governed water pollution since 1972, is essential to the preservation of water resources. zhttp://water.epa.gov/

z Climate vulnerability data now online. The first online database of 184 countries vulnerable to the e�ects of climate change is available via an online interactive portal, providing a wealth of information for researchers, academics and decision-makers around the world. zwww.scidev.net/global/policy/news/country-specific-climate-vulnerability-data-now-online.html

2.4 BILLION people—one third of the world's population—will still be without access to modern sanitation in 2015.Source: OMS/Unicef

FOUNDATION SOLIDARITY: A CLASS ACT

z No fewer than 113 associations compris-ing master's students from French Grandes Ecoles and international universities took part in the competition to win the fifth Student Solidarity Prize. The prize aims to encourage initiative and involvement by rewarding innovative community-oriented approaches to sustainable develop-ment. The prize was created by the Veolia Environnement Foundation and Campus Veolia. Winners receive a total grant of €15,000 (shared between all winners) and technical support in the form of expertise pro-vided by Veolia employees. This year's first prize goes to French nonprofit La Cravate Solidaire (Ecole des dirigeants et créateurs d'entreprises—EDC). The organization sup-plies apparel for the professional world to job seekers, back-to-work candidates and penniless students in preparation for their first job interviews. The second prize goes to "INSA Toulouse humanitarian center" (Institut national des sciences appliquées de Toulouse), which is installing washbasins in the health centers of remote villages in Senegal and assisting with renovations. The third prize goes to Inde Espoir, a group of French and British schools working to build a boarding school in India to provide an education for young girls from tribal areas. The "jury's favorite" award this year goes to L'Ombre et la Plume (EDHEC) for its cam-paign to combat post-prison exclusion. z

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sustainable solutions from around the world

Sustainia:

Sustainia 100 is collection of innovative ideas compiled each year by the Danish organization Sustainia. It was launched following the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen. Sustainia aims to provide an optimistic and engaging guide to sustainable solutions implemented around the world. Of the 100 shortlisted ideas—which include the model introduced by the city of Borås in Sweden (see page 14)—10 focus on cities. The city of Copenhagen is working to build a “climate-resilient” eco-neighborhood, while Henning Larsen Architects and Partners have developed a new design method to optimize the use of natural light in buildings and neighborhoods. The city of Gothenburg uses the naturally cold water from the Göta älv river for its district cooling system. The Dutch project Tvilight uses smart controls to adjust street lighting and electricity consumption and analyze traffic data. In the heart of London, the new King's Cross development is achieving sustainability while protecting cultural heritage. In Los Angeles, the social platform Neighborgoods.net facilitates borrowing and lending between neighbors. Montería Green City 2019 is a pioneering urban initiative in Latin America that seeks to adapt the city to climate change and improve urban growth. z

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The La Cravate Solidaire team took home the 2013 Student Solidarity Prize.


BRATISLAVA DEVELOPMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER z Petržalka, on the right bank of the Danube, is the largest residential district in Central Europe; on the other side of the river and the freeway that runs alongside it is the historic Bratislava city center. In the 1970s, the number of residents of Petržalka rose from 14,000 to 60,000, and it was supposed to be the most modern city in Slovakia. But the outcome of the project was a high-rise development with 40,000 apartments housing 150,000 people. Following redevelopment in the 2000s, it is now a lively neighborhood of Bratislava with an active sustainable development policy. The authorities have just signed an energy-performance contract (EPC) pertaining to the district’s schools. Dalkia, which has been supplying Petržalka’s heat and hot water since 2000, was originally awarded the contract in 2003 and it has now been renewed for 20 years. The project has led to energy savings of over 25%, with zero impact on the public budget. z

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z Gold Medal for Muhammad Yunus. The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the Grameen Bank received the US Congressional Gold Medal in April in recognition of his e�orts to combat world poverty. With this he joins a select group of just seven people who have been awarded both the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Veolia has been at his side since 2008, seeking sustainable solutions to provide disadvantaged people with access to safe drinking water, and is one of the first companies to have supported his work. z

UNITED STATES STURBRIDGE LOOKS AFTER ITS WATER SYSTEM z Sturbridge, a town in Massachusetts of some 9,300 inhabitants, embarked on a major upgrade of its water and wastewater system nearly 20 years ago. In 1989, the municipal authority formed a public-private partnership with Veolia to manage the water and wastewater system. More than 20 years later, water leakage has been reduced by 30% and wastewater treatment capacity increased by 50%. Several US Centers for Prevention and Disease Control have recognized the quality of water fluoridation in the town. More recently, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection honored the partnership between Sturbridge and Veolia with an award for their commitment to the environment. z

€55.8 bnThe revenue that the smart grid* market is expected to generate by 2020, double that of 2012. The two biggest markets will be North America and the Asia-Pacific region.* Electricity networks that can e£ciently integrate the behavior and actions of all users connected to them, in order to ensure an econo-mically e£cient, sustainable power system.Source: Navigant, a US consultancy.

z Harvey Rosen Award for bromates. This is only the second time since its inception in 1989 that the Harvey M. Rosen Memorial Award has been presented to a French team. This prestigious award, given every two years by the editorial board of the journal Ozone: Science and Engineering, recognizes research on ozone. In this case, it highlights the important contribution of the paper published by Peter Mandel and his team to understanding the mechanisms of bromate formation. Bromates are inorganic substances formed by the oxidation of bromide in fresh water. Now a researcher at the Veolia Research Center in Maisons-La£tte, France, Peter Mandel received the Willy Masschelein Prize in 2011. z

STORMY WEATHER CENTRAL EUROPE UNDER WATER z The torrential rains that fell in May and June over large parts of Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Switzerland caused the worst flooding in 500 years. The cost in devastated crops, closed factories and damaged infrastructure is estimated at several billion euros. In the Prague area, where Veolia is present, the operator’s response was swift and e«ective, mainly due to the level of anti-flood protection put in place after the violent storms of 2002. Activated even before the announcement of a state of emergency by local relief committees, it enabled Prague's main wastewater treatment plant to be shut down in time to prevent permanent damage to facilities. This made it possible to ensure an uninter-rupted, trouble-free supply of drinking water to all towns in the region. z

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the guardians of our riversTrout,

Because of their hypersensitivity to the presence of pollutants, trout are regarded as indicators of water quality and are used in drinking water plants, in aquariums called “trout-o-meters.” The slightest change in their behavior warns of a potential problem and, if necessary, output from the plant can be temporarily shut down. In rivers, changes in water quality are measured by the number of species and specimens identified. For this reason, Veolia has partnered with fishing clubs and organizations to launch river restocking programs in several Central European countries. In the Czech Republic, some 4,000 fish are released every year — preferably large specimens of varying ages which are more likely to survive and reproduce. In return, the fishermen agree to observe the “catch and release” rule. They also monitor fish growth and watch out for evidence of poaching. After three years of experimentation, the results exceed the targets and new release sites are under consideration elsewhere in the country, as well as in Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. z


CANADA TAKE BACK THE LIGHT z Some 30 million fluorescent lamps are discarded by industry, business and institutions in Ontario every year. A significant proportion of these lamps end up in the country's landfills. In addition to their metal and glass components, they contain mercury and phosphorus, both of which are extremely harmful to the environment. In a bid to deal with this waste more e«ectively, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment launched the "Take Back the Light" program in 2008, led by the Recycling Council of Ontario. This has led to a simple, cost-e«ective means of providing comprehensive treatment for these end-of-life products, backed by stringent traceability. Since its inception, the program has successfully recycled five million lamps, preventing around 182 kg of mercury, 27 kg of phosphorus, 1.75 metric tons of glass and 22 kg of metal from entering the environment. The Recycling Council of Ontario recently contracted Veolia North America to handle all recycling operations. z

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BRAZIL THE PAPER INDUSTRY MUST ADAPT TO ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS z Paper manufacturers use vast amounts of water, mainly to extract cellulose from wood fiber, and are gradually introducing schemes to manage process water and wastewater at their sites. This is the case of Celulose Riograndense, a subsidiary of the Chilean international market leader, CMPC, which is located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The Brazilian company has called on Veolia to build three raw water and wastewater treatment units, using the most advanced technologies: the MBBR aerobic biological treatment process and the Actiflo water clarification system. z

FRANCE HIGH-PERFORMANCE DIAGNOSTICS z Veolia has signed a partnership with bioMérieux, the global leader in microbiological diagnostics, aimed at monitoring drinking water quality in order to protect consumer health. This collaborative project aims to develop a new device for detecting microorganisms in the natural environment and pipe systems, and ultimately assess the microbiological quality of drinking water throughout the production chain from source to tap. z

London waterGod save the Thames

Much of London’s pipe system dates from the Victorian era and requires constant repair. The sewer system in particular, hit by the floods affecting the capital, has a hard time coping. Water companies continue to invest, spending more than £100 billion (€117 billion) on the country's water facilities over the past 25 years. Thames Water, the country’s main operator with 32,000 km of pipes serving 14 million people in London and the south of England, is set to spend £10 billion on infrastructure renewal between 2010 and 2020. The British water systems, the majority of which were privatized in 1989, are owned by some 20 private companies, a situation unique in Europe. Subjected to a demanding regulator, Ofwat, they call on outside expertise from companies such as Veolia, thus putting the emphasis more on the added value of each partner than on profitability. Formed in May, the alliance partners bid for a place on this unique contract based not on price or cost – but on their combined ability to bring the right people with the right thinking, together, resulting in a top table of Veolia, IBM, Costain, Balfour Beatty, MWH, Skanska and Atkins, sitting alongside Thames Water. Veolia will be responsible for the design and construction of water mains, sewers and water treatment facilities in London and the Thames Valley. It will also provide its expertise in transforming sludge from the wastewater treatment plants into phosphates and energy, as well as in leakage management. This is a crucial issue in England, where water shortages in 2012 led to usage restrictions in the Southeast. z

AUSTRALIA ECO-BRICKS z Threats to the steady supply of natural gas—a factor contributing to rising prices—are prompting the building sector to develop local alternative energy sources. This has the advantage of reducing energy costs as well as being a more responsible approach to fossil carbon emissions. Brick manufacturer Austral Bricks—in a domestic market estimated at some AUD $2.8 billion—recently made an innovative move in this area. In late 2012, Veolia and Austral Bricks designed a system to recover methane from household and industrial waste in the Sydney area. The gas is used to power kilns situated nearby, ensuring steady production of bricks to meet demand. Veolia will supply 3.3 million m3 of methane each year under the five-year partnership agreement. The project received a 2013 Australian Business Award. z

z Acquiring water accounts for 22% of the daily work of the average woman in rural India – a grueling task which involves physically drawing water from a river, public well or other source and then carrying it home in containers. A hundred women demonstrated with their “collection equipment” in front of the local government o£ces in Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) in southern India, to encourage the authorities to install piped drinking water systems in their area. In the neighboring state of Karnataka, Veolia is getting ready to provide water 24/7 to the citizens of Ilkal and Bijapur as well as to students on the Bangalore campus of the Indian Institute of Science. z

z In the United Arab Emirates,Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) has plans for its four sites: Abu Dhabi International Airport, Al Bateen Executive Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport City Check-in and Al Ain International Airport. Its objective is to bring them up the highest international standards in order to provide passengers with a “unique experience.” ADAC has chosen Dalkia to manage the energy systems, technical installations and security systems at all four sites. The largest, Abu Dhabi International Airport, is already well on the way, having been voted best airport in the Middle East in 2012. z

75% less energy is used to make a bottle from recycled plastic as opposed to non-recycled material.

200 pilot projects for smart neighborhoods are now up and running to improve the lives of citizens around the world. The French city of Nice, for instance, has installed 200 sensors on street lights, in garbage cans and in the pavement to collect useful data in real time.


SAUDI ARABIA SADARA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT z This is the newest—and largest—desalination plant to rise from the sands of Saudi Arabia. With a capacity of 178,000 m3/day, beginning in 2015 it will serve a petrochemical complex of global scope—Sadara, built by US chemical giant Dow Chemical and oil company Saudi Aramco in Jubail. The two partners will produce solvents and adhesives for the automotive and packaging industries. To meet stringent environmental and water quality standards, the plant is developing seawater treatment technology combining ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. The combination of the two methods provides a reliable water supply, minimizes the risk of failure and extends the life of the facilities, while reducing the site’s energy requirements and costs. Veolia, which designed the plant, has been selected to build and operate it. z

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combats choleraCentral Africa

Four Central African countries have, since 2008, been trialing an integrated approach to combating cholera, combining the development of water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the worst affected countries, with more than 150,000 cases and 4,000 deaths recorded by the WHO between 2002 and 2008, representing 20% of deaths from the disease worldwide. Enter the Global Alliance Against Cholera (GAAC), an international advisory group supported by the Veolia Foundation. The town of Kalemie in Katanga province was the first place to try out the scheme, which involved water pipe rehabilitation, building storage tanks and doubling the capacity of a water treatment plant, as well as increasing awareness of the basic rules of hygiene. Today, as the initial results show a decline in the number of cholera cases in Kalemie, the program is being extended to a second town, Uvira. And to assist in the rehabilitation of the town’s water infrastructure, GAAC can count on €8.5 million in aid allocated by the French Development Agency and the European Union. z

PERU SATELLITE SURVEILLANCE FOR THE RAINFORESTS z Peru’s e«orts to protect its primary forest against illegal logging have paid o«. Thanks to a satellite-based deforestation monitoring system—after Brazil, Peru is the second country to acquire one—the results published last spring show a 37% drop in deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon over the 2010-2011 period, which peaked at 163,000 hectares/year between 2005 and 2009. z

RAMSES SHARING KNOWLEDGE z Developing methods to evaluate the impact of climate change on urban infrastructure and helping European cities to better understand and accept the measures needed to adapt… these are the goals of the RAMSES – Science for cities in transition project, the winning tender for the European research project “Strategies, costs and impacts of adaptation to climate change.” Co-funded by the European Community under the 7th Framework Programme for Research, RAMSES is led by a consortium of academic and institutional partners, including the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research (PIK), the London School of Economics and Political Science, the World Health Organization, the European Secretariat of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and the Institut Veolia Environnement. z

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE SPOTLIGHT ON THE SEOUL DECLARATION z Making safety and health in the workplace a high priority in every country is the core commitment of the Seoul Declaration, adopted at the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in June 2008, in which some 50 high-level government and corporate representatives from around the world participated. In 2008, the Seoul Declaration had only a handful of signatories; now, there are more than 300. All commit to play an active role in maintaining a safe and healthy workplace by implementing a well-defined system of rights, responsibilities and duties, in which the principle of prevention is accorded the highest priority. Building on its position as one of the first signatories, in June 30, 2008, Veolia has now ratified the declaration to cover its full range of activities. z

79% in the European Union, 90% in the USA, 91% in Japan, 84% in Africa, 86% in India and 87% in China… Fossil fuel still accounts for the vast majority of the world’s energy.

z Cleaner cheese from Bel. With 27 production sites around the world (inclu-ding nine in France) and products sold in over 120 countries, French cheese manufacturer Bel, the name behind the popular Laughing Cow® brand, is working to minimize the environmen-tal impact of its activities. One of its goals was to be recycling 100% of the waste generated at five of its production sites in France by the end of 2013. The solution, provided by Veolia, entailed optimizing recycling/reco-very and reducing waste at source. As a result of these measures, the plants have cut the amount of waste generated by three quarters in 10 years, even though production has increased by 10% on average. Today, the Bel group recycles 80% of its waste and is aiming for 85% by the end of 2013. z

z Burgundy knows how to save water. 350,000 m3 of drinking water was saved in one year in the French town of Beaune, population 23,000, thanks to a combination of Veolia’s time-honored water management expertise and high-tech solutions proposed by M20city and Endetec. This has resulted in better control of the amount of water consumed—through remote meter reading, for example—and raising awareness of the problem of wasting water, which is often unintentional. It also makes it easier to locate leaks and intervene quickly, with full knowledge of the facts, across the system concerned. z©F

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INTERCOMPANY GAMES IN PRAGUE GAME OVER z The European Company Sport Games are like the Olympics for sport-loving employees. Their motto: “The oµce is not the only playing field.” More than 7,000 sports enthusiasts from prestigious companies like IBM, Dassault, Allianz, Orange and Veolia were present at the 19th edition of this event, which took place June 19–23, 2013 in Prague, Czech Republic. The Games, established in 1977, give participants the opportunity to meet and compete with employees from other companies outside of work, in a total of 28 sports and games, including football, bowling, badminton, petanque, cycling, golf and chess. This year, 230 Veolia employees from 14 European countries were selected to represent the company in 19 sports. Veolia, with 146 titles and 205 medalists, finished top, ahead of Commerzbank AG (Germany) and Polizei Österreich (Austria). z

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BORÅS: BLOWING HOT BUT NEVER COLD

SOUTHWARK

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A SECOND LIFE FOR MOTOR OIL ULTRAPURE WATER FOR MEMORY MODULES MEN AMONG DUNES

LONDON’S STANDARD-BEARER FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT

solutions


z The Swedish town of Borås has been using sustainable energy

models for 50 years and aims to reach its goal of “zero fossil

fuels” by 2025. z Veolia and the oil company Total have heeded the

European Union’s call to recycle waste motor oil rather than to

incinerate it. The two recently opened the Osilub recycling plant,

near Le Havre, France. z In Seoul, the South Korean group SK hynix,

the world’s leading manufacturer of memory modules, is working

hard to trim its outsize consumption of ultrapure water. z

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z Catarina is 43 years old. At the age of seven she and her family left their native Stromstad (a region bordering Norway) and settled in Borås, where she still lives today and works as a

z Sweden is responsible for just 0.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions and has successfully reduced its CO2 output by 9% over the past 20 years. While that may seem like just a drop in the ocean, the world leader for recycling and clean energy is now exporting its sustainable energy models around the globe. Spotlight on a city that has come to epitomize this exemplary approach: Borås. z

across as the perfect representative of the inhabitants of Borås, completely committed to the environmental policies that have been put into place: “I’m proud that the enthusiasm of a few individuals in the 1960s was enough to lay the foundations of our sustainable city.”

Paradigm shift1959. At a time when consumer society in Europe was at its peak and oil supplies plentiful, the Swedish city of Borås, 60 kilometers from Gothenburg, chose to gradually wean itself off fossil fuels. In a tangible demonstration of growing environmental awareness, the city set up its own municipally owned company, Borås Energi och Miljo AB (BEM). BEM was given a twofold mission: to make this pioneering

Borås: a pioneering city

Freedom from fossil fuels

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BY PATRICIA COIGNARD

nurse. “I love living in Borås,” she says enthusiastically. “My children were born here and it was natural for them to learn to recycle, which is ‘non-negotiable’ around here – to the degree that the school that they go to flies a green flag, a powerful symbol of the importance of sustainable development.” If she is ever tempted to joke about the complicated nature of Borås’ recycling system, she doesn’t show it. “Of course it demands a bit of concentration, but it’s not a problem. There’s nothing simpler than sorting food waste into black bags and combustibles into white bags. For glass and newspapers other bags are provided.” This ease of sorting is complemented by the optimized opening hours of stations and recycling centers. Catarina comes


z The conurbation is home to 104,000 people, including 64,000 within the town limits. z

z The district heating network serves more than 70,000 individuals. z

z The city has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 5,500 metric tons each year. z

BORÅS: FACTS & FIGURES

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SOLUTIONS BORÅS

dream a reality and to manage public energy, waste and wastewater services. In 1980, the city created an association to pool the ideas and resources of local officials, academics and businesses. Town officials are pleased with the success of the initiative: “Like other parts of Sweden, we knew that to break away from non-renewable energy sources we would have to recycle the vast amounts of waste being produced by modern living, both in households and businesses. In contrast to the prevailing consumer model of the time, we began seeing waste not as a nuisance with no further purpose, but as a resource that could be part of a sustainable, circular economy.” This collaborative partnership for a more sustainable future was undoubtedly instrumental in the successful energy solutions subsequently developed in Borås, with the end goal of creating a carbon-neutral city by 2025—an energy turnaround that would allow Borås to emit seven times less CO2 in the space of 50 years.

A successful alternative energy planFlashback to the late fifties. To give shape to this “sustainable society,” as the EU would call it many years later, Borås built a district heating network linked to the Ryaverket power plant, built in 1965, which was initially to be used for oil. In 1995, to remove the coal, the world’s largest steam dryer for biofuel was installed. BEM Managing Director Gunnar Peters (see interview on p. 19) gives a little background: “At first, it burned coal, since only a small proportion of waste was recycled. Then, thanks to continuous improvements that made the facility cleaner and more efficient, it was converted to biomass and coal in 1984, then to a combination of refuse-derived fuel

zzzz RYAVERKET SITEContinuous improvement has been the

watchword of the Ryaverket site ever since it entered into service in the mid-1960s. The aim is

to improve the mix of fuels used – wood chips, refuse-derived fuel and biomass – in order to

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z A THERMAL POWER PLANT z Two 20-MW refuse-derived fuel boilers z

z Two 65-MW biomass boilers z

z Two 37-MW CHP steam turbines z

z A facility used to derive energy from wastewater 9 MW z

z A DISTRICT HEATING NETWORK

z 350 km of underground pipes z

z 4,000 substations throughout the city z

z Four hydropower plants Two 2.6-MW turbines Two 2.7-MW turbines Two 2-MW turbines z

The “thermos” is a storage tank with a capacity of 37,000 cubic meters located nearby the Ryaverket site. It is the largest hot water storage facility ever built in Europe. When more heat is being produced than is needed by the people using the network, the accumulator stores the energy as hot water. When consumer demand exceeds production, the energy accumulated in the tank is fed back into the network.

SPOTLIGHT

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(RDF) – obtained from waste sorting – and biomass in 2005. That same year we built two 20 MW boilers for waste, began our partnership with Dalkia and started implementing an alternative energy plan.” To manage fluctuating demand on the district heating network in a sustainable manner, Dalkia uses RDF in the summer and supplements this fuel source with animal biomass in the fall and winter. Fossil fuels may be used to cope with spikes in demand on the coldest days of winter. However, as part of the campaign to smooth out these peaks and troughs and move towards the goal of zero fossil fuels, “we have built an 80-meter tall accumulator tank with a capacity of 37,000 cubic meters at the Ryaverket site to store energy as hot water,” explains Peters. Residents have dubbed the tank the “Thermos” and it has become a cherished landmark for the city. “Lit up with Christmas lights in the winter, it’s a real source of pride,” beams one town official.Another source of satisfaction for local representatives and a keystone in the Borås development model is the willingness of the city’s people to sort their waste. This attitude is underpinned by a policy designed to raise awareness and promote responsible citizenship (see interview). Today, of the some 200,000 metric tons of waste collected each year, only 4% ends up in a landfill. 30,000 metric tons of organic waste are turned into biogas used to power the city’s buses (since 2002), garbage trucks (since 2003) and taxis (since 2004). “Absolutely everything that can be recycled is recycled!” adds Peters. With its thriving economy and industry (11,500 SMEs and SMIs, and over 5,000 new companies each year), Borås is proof that it is possible to reconcile growth with sustainable energy solutions. z

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Dalkia has operated the facilities since 2006, including the thermal power plant (and its storage unit), a facility that derives energy from wastewater, hydraulic turbines and the Borås district heating network. z

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z BEM was already using renewable

energy to meet the town’s needs at the

end of the 19th century, long before the

environmental movement. How did this

come about?

Our first municipal site, Elektra, was already producing electricity in 1900. To cope with high demand for this new convenience, we of course chose to use a local energy source and built four hydropower plants. These remarkable facilities are still in operation today! But over the course of time the population grew and we had to open another production site. In 1948 Sweden discovered district heating and the concept of simultaneous electricity and heat production took shape in the form of a cogeneration plant. In 1965, the Ryaverket plant opened using oil. In 1984, it was converted to biomass and coal. In 1995, coal was removed following the installation of the world’s largest steam dryer for biofuel. We are also adding a new plant for the clean elimination of household waste on the same site.

z Then came the crises of 1973 and

1979…

In order to overcome our dependence on oil, we decided to move to biofuels and developed new biofuel boilers. We still used some coal to meet our full requirements, but the two new 20 MW biomass boilers installed at the Ryaverket site in 2005 constitute a decisive step forward in the field of green technology. Today, we only burn dry biomass in the two bio boilers.

z What is your recipe for integrating

household waste into energy

production?

All it takes is a touch of innovation and a dose of continuous optimization, coordinated by our local teams, in close collaboration with specialists from academic institutions such as the Swedish National Institute of Technical Research. We have also developed partnerships with international companies like Dalkia.

z What do Borås residents think about

your work?

We raise public awareness using theme-based campaigns, in order to reach our goal of “zero fossil fuels.” We specifically target young people, who are particularly effective at passing on their good habits on to their parents. As we have many different cultures within the local population, we make sure our information on the environment and energy is practical and educational. Finally, we sponsor a science center and every year we give out awards to “environmental heroes.”

z You’ve become a global role model!

Every year, we receive 2,500 visitors from across the world who are keen to learn more about our experience and expertise. We are even in the process of forming a team dedicated to providing international consulting services! z

Gunnar Peters, Managing Director of Borås Energi och Miljö (BEM)

HEATING HOMES WITHOUT FOSSIL FUELS

INTERVIEW

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SOLUTIONS WASTE OIL

z A message to drivers everywhere: don’t forget to change your motor oil before a long trip, or at least once a year. Although the vehicle’s onboard computer should let you know when it’s time to do so, a growing number of people seem to overlook this vital piece of routine servicing. This is largely because oil changes are increasingly spaced out and are now done after

z Recycling engine oil is a crucial part of the campaign to o�set the increasing price of petroleum. The new Osilub plant aims to improve recycling capability to reduce costs and promote environmental stewardship. z

been used as a source of fuel in cement and lime kilns, or to incinerate other types of hazardous waste.

81% of oil recycled in the EU Recycling means recovering waste oil to provide fresh feedstock for the engine oil production process. With today’s increasingly sophisticated recycling technology, four liters of waste motor oil are enough to produce three liters of new engine oil (see inset). This bodes well for the future, especially given the long-term rise in the price of hydrocarbons. In 2000, 27% of waste oil in the EU was recycled. By 2010, that figure had reached 81%, representing 1,790,000 metric tons out of a total of 2,210,000 metric tons of waste oil collected. In France, recycling overtook incin-eration in 2011 (52%), rising to 63% in

A new lease on life for motor oil

Osilub

BY HUBERT KERNEÏS

every 20,000 km (or even 30,000 km), compared with intervals of 5,000 km in the past. Which leaves plenty of time to forget! Oil changes are also becoming less frequent as a result of improvements in oil performance, which allow vehicles go longer between changes. What is more, engines are now more sophisticated and require less oil. Together, all of these factors have led to steady decline in the overall amount of waste motor oil—which must be treated—in Europe since 2004. Following the introduction of the European Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), Member States must focus on recovering, recycling and re-using waste oil rather than resorting to incineration, which is now discouraged. In the past, these oils—which are toxic to the environment and con-sidered as hazardous waste—have

France still exports 40,000 metric tons of waste oil

to Germany, Italy and Spain each year. It is then recycled and brought back

to the country as engine oil, in direct competition

with French lubricant manufacturers. The new Osilub plant ensures a

relevant response to EU rules requiring a focus on

materials recovery and helps to stem the tide of

«wasteful» exports. z


2012. This is in part thanks to the new Osilub plant, which is now able to treat an impressive 120,000 metric tons of oil a year. However, Éric Lecointre, auto-motive industry waste liaison officer at the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), points to another reason: “Cement makers are also turning away from used oils in favor of other fuels such as tires and biomass. Producers are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with the rocketing market price of waste oil, which surged from an average of €75 per metric ton in 2008 to €111 in 2010 and about €200 in 2012. You could say the market is having a positive impact on the environment since it encourages recycling over incin-eration.” That’s not something that hap-pens every day! z

OSILUB: A RECYCLING LOOP FOR WASTE OILS

“ This is the first time in the global market that a waste-treatment specialist has teamed up with an oil company to create a recycling facility for waste oils on such a scale.” Opened in 2012, the brand new Osilub plant near Gonfreville in northern France is understandably a source of pride for managing director Jacques Tricard. Osilub is a joint subsidiary of Veolia (65%) and Total (35%). The two have invested some €55 million in the plant, which can treat 120,000 metric tons of oil a year,

representing half of all waste oil to be recycled in France. Its close proximity to the port of Le Havre puts the plant in a position to treat waste oil not just from France but also from northwest Europe (UK and Benelux), a region that is a major producer of used oil but is clearly lacking in recycling capacity.Osilub uses a unique distillation process based on approaches used in the fine chemicals industry and developed in partnership with the regional innovation and technology

transfer center (CRITT) and ADEME. These solutions have resulted in an average e�ciency of 75%, compared with the usual 45%. Just one liter of waste oil can provide 0.75 liters of an intermediate product known as vacuum gas oil (VGO), which is used to make base oil with more or less the same quality as that of the best unrefined oils on the market. z

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SOLUTIONS SK HYNIX KOREA

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DRAM soaks up ultrapure water

SK hynix

BY JAMES OCKENDEN

z South Korea’s SK hynix is the lead-ing DRAM manufacturer world-wide. Together, the company and Samsung Electronics hold a 70% market share. The technologies SK hynix is developing demand a constant supply of ultrapure water to clean components that are extremely sensitive to even the slightest impurity. Unfortunately, this process consumes very large amounts of water. z

z It’s a beautiful sunny Saturday morning in Yeoju, a popular weekend spot about 40 miles from central Seoul. On the south bank of the River Han, young families jostle for space, pitching small tents for shade,

assembling bikes and kites and keeping a watchful eye on the thousands of toddlers joyfully paddling in the water features leading down to the river. But most parents probably don’t give much thought where all that baby lotion and sunscreen is going to end up – and most would be surprised to know that, just a few miles downstream, the river water their children splash about in becomes an essential part of nanotechnology manufacturing, providing high-tech ultrapure water for cleaning the silicon substrates (semi-conductors) of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) chips ultimately destined for their iPhones, Galaxy smartphones and laptops. The fact is that semiconductor manufacture is a thirsty business indeed, something well appreciated by corporations lining the river in Korea’s own Silicon Valley.

Lack of rainfallGlobal DRAM market leader SK hynix provides memory chips to both Apple and Samsung, a position that puts the company at the forefront of tackling the growing issue of water scarcity in South Korea. “Water is a precious resource here,” says a young water engineer from partner company Veolia Korea, looking over the huge river water intake tanks at SK hynix’s Icheon facility (see p. 24), one of the largest semiconductor plants in the world. The engineer explains the water challenges in South Korea: “The average rainfall per capita in the country is very low, just an eighth of the world average. Exacerbating the problem are more than 1,000 steep mountains along the Han River which channel rain very quickly through the watershed and into the Yellow Sea. This rapid water

Taking a dip in the River Han, south of Seoul, is a

popular activity among South Korean families. z

23

PURE WATER: A HIGH-TECH CONCEPTz Think the bottled water on the supermarket shelf is pure water? Think again – it is full of minerals, ions and particles which, while beneficial or harmless to the human body, could easily destroy the delicate nano-pathways of a silicon chip. Producing ultrapure water is not simply a case of running it through increasingly fine filters. The heart of this sensitive process is a sophisticated reverse osmosis system, which uses membrane technology to remove particles as small as 0.03μm – to put that in perspective, that speck you can see floating in your mineral water is probably around 40μm, the smallest the naked eye can see.Other processes are also used at the plant to remove bacteria, dissolved gas and magnesium, calcium and silicon ions which would interfere with the electronics of the silicon chip. To meet daily demand from the semiconductor fabrication plant – which can reach 100,000 m3 of water – the Incheon plant runs 24 hours a day. Sophisticated maintenance management systems ensure uninterrupted supply. “Service interruption would bring a huge loss to the client’s business,” explains Gustavo Migues, CEO of Veolia Korea. The final product is as pure water as can be created, outside of burning pure hydrogen in pure oxygen (something not practical on any scale outside of a laboratory). z

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SOLUTIONS SK HYNIX KOREA

zzzz cycle causes frequent flooding in the region but allows very little buffer or reservoir in the natural system. “Drought is very common here.”

DRAM = H2OThe young engineer looks on as the raw water flows toward the treatment plant, where it will undergo a 20-step process to eliminate minerals and ions. It’s not a question of tradeoffs – ultrapure water is an essential part of the silicon chip manu facturing pro-cess, and never something to be taken for granted by SK hynix. The company has implemented a sustainable devel-opment initiative with aggressive wastewater quality and water conser-vation targets. “We are seeking to raise the current 33% water recycling rate to over 70% by 2015,” says an environ-mental officer at the company. To do so, SK hynix will make its use of ultrapure water more efficient by optimizing the cleaning time of its semiconduc-tor wafers. It also has plans to improve wastewater treatment facilities at its Cheongju plant to supply graywater for cleaning equipment and toilets. “By doing this, we will reduce the total water volume discharged into the Han River, and reduce the consumption of water resources,” he says. “And to achieve these goals, we are counting on the support of Veolia, our operator since 2001.” (See inset on p. 25.) z

The Incheon site – more like a town than a plant – is one of three SK hynix sites in South Korea. It is licensed

to withdraw up to 110,000m3 per day from the river, processing the natural river water into ultrapure water

for advanced silicon processes, general industrial water for the factories and power plant and clean drinking

water for around 12,500 site personnel. The plant presently uses around 40% of its regulated river water

allowance, extracting around 15 million m3 in 2011. z

TO YOUR HEALTH!z A small amount of ultrapure water is drawn from a faucet at the far end of the production line. A dangerous solvent… not fit for drinking… bitter… The internet is abuzz with rumors about ultrapure water. A tasting of this fine vintage was needed to find out for once and for all. So what’s the verdict? Not bad at all! Tasting notes: an aroma of H2O on the nose, with a palate of… H2O. z

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z There’s a vast sprawling soccer game going on in the mid-dle of the square at the SK hynix Icheon plant. It’s impos-sible to tell who’s winning – in fact, it’s impossible to tell who’s playing amid the jumble of factory workers, suppli-ers, engineers, management and office folk all dressed like software engineers on a Californian campus. Team work is not evident on the pitch, as a hundred people joyfully chase the ball, but no one cares: it’s break time, and this is family. When the whistle blows, these people from differ-ent backgrounds, functions and even different companies, will work together as one. At SK hynix, the operation func-tions best by everyone knowing their part and playing it flawlessly. Although its products – ultrapure water, drink-ing water – are essential to the operations, Veolia Water is afforded no special status, on or off the pitch. The EMAP: a winning solution Originally contracted for 12 years of water services in 2001, Veolia’s work with SK hynix has grown and strengthened considerably over time. Within a couple of years of operation, SK hynix – then simply Hynix – recognized in Veolia a model outsourcing operation, and in 2006 extended its contract by five years, prolong-ing the service period from 2013 to 2018, for a total of 17 years. Contracts at other plants have been renewed, too, most recently at the Cheongju plant for the expansion of the ultrapure water facilities there, the eighth contract signed between Veolia and SK hynix.Together with Veolia Water and other suppliers, SK hynix has adopted a modern stakeholder approach to its sustainability priorities. Internal standards for waste-water treatment, for example, already far exceed legal requirements, a sustainable vision achieved through trust and communication between the parties. “Our Environmental Management Action Plan (EMAP), for ex-ample, is a system created by Veolia to set objectives and priorities for environmental protection. The results are shared with the client regularly providing substantial support to the client’s broader vision of sustainability,” says Veolia Korea CEO Gustavo Migues.

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WORKING AS ONE

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ILLUSTRATION MARIETTE GUIGAL ©Veolia photo library-Justin Sutclie/Interlinks Image


Spotless Southwark

horizons


HORIZONS SOUTHWARK DEVELOPS CITY-CENTER WASTE TREATMENT

Old Kent Road is famous for being one of the squares on the Monopoly board: the one right after “GO” in the London version of the game. Its reputation is built on a wealth of history. What began as a simple

track for ancient Britons became part of Watling Street, a thoroughfare that was turned into a Roman road in AD43, linking the port of Dover to Wroxeter, in Shropshire. This grew into a vital artery for trade between the north and south of England. Since then, it has continued to be part of the buzz and activity of Europe’s largest city.Old Kent Road is just over three kilometers long and is a stone’s throw from the River Thames and the skyscrapers of central London. It continues to write new pages for the history books, such as the chapter begun recently by Veolia and the borough of Southwark, which spans 29 square kilometers and is home to 288,700 people: the opening of a

new Integrated Waste Management Facility in January 2012 has changed the way local residents think about the waste they produce.

Political will “We developed a long-term waste strategy in 2003. We wanted to deal with waste within the borough and deal with it sustainably,” says London Borough of Southwark strategic director of environment and leisure Deborah Collins. Like other London councils, Southwark became aware of the pressing need to treat waste in situ, with people increasingly seeking alternatives to landfill solutions (see “Legislation and regulation”), which involved waste being collected and sent by truck to landfills in semi-urban and rural areas on the outskirts of London. The council’s main incentives to adopt a new strategy included low recycling rates, high growth in the amount of waste produced, limited space and increased costs for landfill. That led to a campaign to make it easier for local residents to recycle and invest in sorting in a bid to boost recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste produced. Hence the decision

zzzz

BY PAUL SANDERSON

Southwark makes a clean sweep z The borough of Southwark is a real cultural melting pot within hailing distance of central London. It is also a place that has revolutionized its approach to waste management. The local council’s political will has paid dividends. Southwark is now home to a highly innovative new facility providing exclusive services to residents. z


Southwark is known for its eclectic mix of local businesses, from the endless lines of stalls at North Cross Road market, to the vintage shop on Fellbrigg Road and The Palmerston, a pub in East Dulwith. And for those looking to take a little break, the Tate Modern park is just a short stroll away. z

PHOTOS: JUSTIN SUTCLIFFE/INTERLINKS IMAGE

FOR VEOLIA PHOTO LIBRARY



zzzz

to build a new facility to deal with Southwark’s waste in a way that minimizes the impact on the environment while revitalizing the local economy and supporting local communities.

Recycling far and wide Annie Baker is waste and transport manager for Southwark Council. Prior to the opening of the facility, she was based at the council’s Manor Place facility within the borough. “The council was at the site for 100 years or more,” she says. “It wasn’t fit for purpose anymore as it was very small with a railway line running through it. It was ideal for horses and carts, which it had been built for, when they stored the waste under the railway arches before moving it on. But it wasn’t suitable for recycling. When we moved our operation to the Integrated Waste Management Facility, it was a big change for the better.” Indeed, part of this change has been for Annie to be based

at the Old Kent Road site, alongside colleagues from Veolia. She ensures the council and its contractor work in partnership on operational issues such as collection. Veolia is tasked with a sizable challenge: to improve the recycling rate of Southwark by making it easier for residents to recycle. “Environment and recycling are very important to the residents of Southwark,” says Councillor Barrie Hargrove, the London Borough of Southwark cabinet member for Transport, Environment and Recycling. “Fundamentally, residents need to have their waste taken away and their streets kept clean. The mix of people is very similar to many other inner London boroughs. We have residents who originate from all different parts of the world as well as Londoners who were born and bred here. In addition, Southwark has the largest number of council-owned housing properties in London and is the third-largest landlord in the whole of the country. This makes it difficult to ensure that recycling is easy for everybody.”

Legislation and regulation Since 2001, European Union countries have had to implement the Landfill Directive. For the UK, this means reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 35% of 1995 levels by 2020.First introduced in 1996 by then Environment Secretary John Gummer, the Landfill Tax has been the main way that the UK has sought to reduce use of landfills and make alternative treatment sources more financially attractive.When first introduced, the Landfill Tax stood at £8 per metric ton. Over time, it has risen to £72 per metric ton and will reach £80 in 2014-2015. It is not yet clear

whether it will continue to rise beyond that date.“The Landfill Tax has certainly bitten over the last few years,” says Veolia UK legislation manager Ray Parmenter. “Landfill volumes are now in decline, companies are mothballing or closing landfill sites and pushing much more into recycling and energy-from-waste. “The tipping point probably came in 2011-2012 when the Landfill Tax reached £56 per metric ton, as that meant energy-from-waste gate fees were on a par. As a result of the Landfill Tax, Landfill Directive, Waste Framework Directive and others, we have seen recycling

increase from almost zero in 2001, to over 40% now.”He also points out that there will be a review of targets as part of the European Commission’s work on the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe. As a result of this, landfill bans could be enacted for certain materials, as well as more measures to increase recycling and the use of recycled materials in new products, and improve resource security. z


z Population of Southwark: 288,700 z

z Southwark total household waste collected (2011/12): 106,121 METRIC TONS z

z Southwark recycling rate (2011/2012): 27.43% z

z Southwark waste diverted from landfill (2011/2012): 79.65% z

z Population of London: 8.2 million z

Weighty words, punchy photos Straightforward language and imagery are the best tools for explaining waste collection to such a diverse population. It is believed that more than 300 different languages are spoken in London, so simple communications are vital to get the message across. Like many London boroughs, Southwark’s population has huge differences in wealth. This means a wide range of housing stock is linked together, from large houses, to smaller terraced houses, to houses converted into apartments. Veolia has worked with Southwark to introduce a variety of collection systems to suit the needs of the properties. While the predominant collection method for street-based houses is a blue wheeled bin for commingled dry recyclables, a green wheeled bin for residual waste, and a brown bin for food and garden waste, other alternatives using bags and containers are available depending on the space available to a property. Apartments have either a single-use bag for recycling and another for waste, or for some of the larger properties, recycling and waste are deposited in larger, 1,100-liter communal bins.

Huge strides Since Veolia entered into the contract in 2008, huge strides have been made in managing the waste in Southwark and introducing a collection system that suits everyone. “When the new council was elected in 2010, it put in place a plan to double the recycling rate to 40% by 2014,” says Deborah Collins. “This is hugely ambitious, as outer London boroughs, where there is more space, have recycling levels at that level. It is much trickier in Southwark. Lots of boroughs also have a trade off between getting a high enough recycling rate, and don’t get good enough quality material for recycling. But the integrated Waste Management Facility enables us to get the higher recycling rate, and the quality of material. But the Integrated Waste Management Facility enables us to get the higher recycling rate, with quality materials. We wouldn’t have been able to achieve what we have without the investment enabled by the contract with Veolia. The investment by Veolia and from Government has helped everything take shape. With a really long-term contract like this, the only viable option is a partnership approach, which is what we have with Veolia. As a result, we are well on the way to achieving our goals and targets, and are treating Southwark’s waste within its boundaries.” z



z What makes Southwark a landmark facility

for Veolia in the UK?

It is best in class in terms of what we can do. It also provides local jobs and plays an active role in the community. For example, we have a locally-staffed education center dedicated to teaching children how to recycle.

z This comprehensive management model

seems to be very well received in the UK.

Comprehensive, integrated infrastructure management is key; we have a great deal of expertise and experience with this model in the UK. Basically, we process 120,000 metric tons of waste and have to choose from many different options to make the best possible use of it. We produce two types of fuel (biogas and refuse-derived fuel), provide district heating to the neighborhood, sort waste and make compost off-site. We achieve an excellent recycling rate and the facility is capable of achieving up to 90% landfill diversion.

z What are your plans for investment in the UK?

Veolia is a key stakeholder in the green economy. We employ more than 14,000 employees in the UK and we intend to invest around £1 billion here over the next six years.

z Doubts have arisen regarding the future of

the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). What is

your take?

I believe you’re referring to the new PF2* model. The transition will not be easy! The risk/reward ratio of these contracts is not always well balanced and on several occasions we have had to pass on some projects due to excessive risk. And obtaining planning permission can be a nightmare!Luckily, the government shares our objectives of increasing recycling and reducing the amount of waste sent to the landfill.

z How does Veolia see opportunities in the

municipal marketplace?

I foresee a decline in PFI opportunities in the next few years. Others will emerge to take their place, such as direct service organization contracts**, which are being privatized. There may also be some distressed PFI contracts, where the PFI contract has been given to competitors and probably won’t be seen through. These could come back to the market at some stage. z

Estelle Brachlianoff, Executive Vice President UK & Northern Europe

LEADING THE WAY IN INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT

INTERVIEW

* The PF2, the successor to the PFI, is designed to strike a better balance between public and private interests.* In which a local authority has a business unit that operates services.

The site houses three units: a sorting center, a recycling center, and a mechanical biological treatment plant for organic waste.

The huge, ultramodern site sits o� the Old Kent Road and is barely noticeable, blending nicely into the surrounding tower block apartments, houses, commercial businesses and industrial sites.

In 2008, Veolia secured a comprehensive 25-year contract for all waste collection, recycling, treatment and disposal in the London borough of Southwark.©J

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The mechanical biological treatment plant—Veolia’s first in the UK—takes the residual waste materials that have been collected, sorts them to extract items that can be recycled, and then transforms the biodegradable elements into fuel. This fuel is then delivered to the South East London Combined Heat and Power (SELCHP) plant in the neighboring borough of Lewisham, where it is used to generate electricity. A network of pipes is being built that will provide heat from SELCHP to residential estates owned by Southwark Council. The Southwark facility has come a long way since 2008! z

The sorting center contains a materials recovery facility—one of the most advanced in Europe—that uses optical techniques to ensure a high-quality product for recycling. Residents can take furniture or other items that do not fit into the curbside collection to the household waste recycling center.


VIEWS

Stephane Lavoué arrived one fine day at the al wathba 2 site, about 40 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi, along a road shrouded in sand. the photographer could barely see five meters in front of him. all of a sudden, he came across a vast worksite and some 20 cranes reaching up to the sky. an unreal landscape, which he describes as being like something out of the movie mad max. a worksite worthy of the pyramids…

among dunes Men

REPORT BY STÉPHANE LAVOUÉ.


MEN AMONG DUNES VIEWS

MEN AMONG DUNES VIEWS

DESERT STORMz On the ground, teams bustle about, barely ru ed by the whims of the desert and its frequent sandstorms. z

WHAT GOES UP...z Around 20 meters below sea level, workers go about their

business at the bottom of a pit sunk into the desert and surfaced in black concrete, which will be used to hold wastewater from Abu Dhabi, some 40 kilometers away. Light is scarce. Once the plant is operational, this will be a no-go area. Everything will be flooded. z


VIEWS MEN AMONG DUNES

CLARIFYING THE SITUATIONz The tricycle is one of the most practical ways of carrying small packages around the site. The place is like a small city, complete with its own road network and signposts to help people negotiate their way around the clarifiers. z

VIEWS MEN AMONG DUNES


THE END OF THE PIPEz The pipes measure nearly two meters

in diameter. It’s an impressive sight. This is probably the most visually

striking indication of the size of the facility and its capacity. z

T he man who greeted Stéphane Lavoué on his arrival at the site revealed not the slightest patch of skin. And with good reason. The sandstorm raging around the

emerging plant on that particular day forced workers to protect their faces by whatever means they could. Glasses, handkerchiefs and T-shirts all provided a perfect patchwork for a photographer tasked with capturing the look and actions of construction workers at this impressive industrial facility as it rose from the sand! “I arrived along a road shrouded in sand. We could see little more than five meters in front of us. All of a sudden, we came across a vast worksite and some 20 cranes reaching up to the sky. It was an unreal landscape, like something out of the movie Mad Max. A worksite worthy of the pyramids!” remembers Stéphane.Work on the Al Wathba 2 construction project—40 km from the capital, Abu Dhabi—began in early 2009 and was well underway by late 2010. For two days, Stéphane explored the site to watch the work progressing while talking to people in an attempt to capture the everyday life of construction workers in the appropriate light and surroundings. On the ground, teams bustled about, barely ruffled by the whims of the desert. It was these same workers who would serve as Stéphane’s subjects. “The challenge for the photographer lay in reconciling this human endeavor with such a vast industrial undertaking. There was a certain amount of scene-setting that fit well with my approach as a portraitist,” says the photographer. Yet the place was immediately inspiring and provided some unforgettable

experiences. One that springs to mind was a descent of more than 20 meters “into the core of the plant, to the bottom of the wastewater tanks, where you feel disconnected from everything.”Stéphane returned to the site in 2012 for a day, to pay tribute to an outstanding achievement in pictures. “On my first visit, I was completely free to move around,” says the photographer. “This time, the plant was finished and access to the facilities was naturally more restricted.” The wastewater treatment plant had been operating for about a month. However, it offered an equally surprising spectacle to visitors. “All around, the desert had restaked its claim, with camel breeders already going about their business,” says Stéphane. “The clarifiers looked like huge pools amid the dunes, contrasting starkly with the boundless stretches of sand.” Here, in the largest of the Emirates, excess is just another feature of the landscape. Having witnessed golf courses in the middle of the desert and permanently irrigated vegetation along the edge of highways, Stéphane has seen it all first hand: “In this country, where a liter of water is more precious than a liter of oil, there is a pressing need for a more rational approach to resource withdrawal.” This explains the move to set up major infrastructure able to supply the equivalent of two or three water cycles.That is the role of the Al Wathba 2 plant, which now produces 300,000 cubic meters of water per day for farming, livestock and the capital’s parks and gardens. A shining example of Abu Dhabi’s determination to promote a more moderate approach to water use. z

Stéphane Lavoué traveled the length and breadth of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula for three years, Leica camera in hand. The photographer’s two visits to the Al Wathba 2 treatment plant were a memorable experience. z

BY GUILLAUME FROLET

z Background • Born in 1976 in Mulhouse, eastern France, Stéphane was raised in Germany and Africa. He took an interest in photography while studying engineering at Ecole Supérieure du Bois in France. In 1999, he set off for the Amazon to buy wood for a French company. After returning to Paris, in 2001, he devoted more of his time to photography, shooting portraits for French daily Libération during the 2002 presidential campaign. That was the start of his career, with orders flooding in from a number of newspapers and magazines in France and further afield. He began working with French industrial companies such as Veolia Environnement in 2010. z


VIEWS CATHERINE BARBAROUX


Catherine Barbaroux

The citizenBY PATRICIA COIGNARD. PHOTO: CHRISTOPHE MAJANI D’INGUIMBERT FOR THE VEOLIA PHOTO LIBRARY

z Ever since she was a child, Catherine Barbaroux has been driven by the sense of social justice and economic equity advocated by the French Republic and has long sought to assist even the most modest entrepreneurs. She continues to promote public-interest initiatives as the head of outreach association Adie. Portrait of an inspiring woman. z

“Have you done anything useful today?» Throughout her childhood, Catherine Barbaroux’s father—a former miner from Asturias who emigrated to

France during the Spanish Civil War in 1936—would ask his daughter every evening what she had done to help other people. Molded by this awareness of the collective and shaped by a family belief in popular education and schooling, Ms Barbaroux says it was a ‘series of coincidences’ that led her to pursue a brilliant and bold career in service of the public interest and equal employment opportunities. Even on reaching retirement age, in 2010, it came as no surprise to hear that she had accepted a voluntary position on the board of directors of the ‘Association for the Right to Economic Initiative’ (Adie), France’s leading microcredit organization for people who are unemployed and keen to set up their own company but cannot obtain a bank loan. «I see it as a way of giving back to the Republic what I have received,” she explains. The following year, Maria Nowak, Adie’s iconic founder, asked Ms Barbaroux to step into her shoes as president.

Combating common misconceptions These two driven, strong-willed women have known each other since 1999. Back then, Ms Barbaroux, was working for Martine Aubry at the French Ministry of Employment and Solidarity when she faced a “somewhat blunt” line of questioning from Ms Nowak. “[Maria] objected to our overriding belief that the only means of finding work was as a salaried employee. She claimed the ability to set up your own business was still an underrated area of public policy,” remembers Ms Barbaroux. “What she had to say was really enlightening: I was from a place where people put their faith in the welfare state, in social progress and in the collective drive to transform society. Maria really shook my beliefs to the core. That is when Adie opened up another window of opportunity for me.” Still, she could not have imagined becoming the association’s president 13 years later: “I had never had anything to do with the banking industry before!” she confesses. Yet the handover within the non-profit association was a natural process, with the two women sharing common values guiding their actions over three decades. The goal was to “overturn society’s misconceptions and blinkered beliefs by helping people

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VIEWS CATHERINE BARBAROUX


excluded from the system to bounce back and to overcome life’s challenges.” Mission accomplished.

Establishing Adie’s position in today’s world After two years’ at the helm of Adie, Catherine Barbaroux can be proud of what she has accomplished, though she would be the last to rest on her laurels. The strategic plan to double the support for entrepreneurs by 2015 is paying off. “[Adie] was losing steam three years ago but has now achieved average annual growth of 8-10%,” she explains. Through internal restructur-ing, stronger public-private partnerships (with the Veolia Environnement Foundation, in particular), new branch open-ings and closer ties with regional microloan promoters (Pôle Emploi, social action centers run by individual city halls, and local initiatives) and major charities (including ATD Quart Monde and Secours Populaire), “Adie has built a reputation for reaching out directly to its target customers.” At the same time, it has cast off its somewhat opaque image as a French microcredit pioneer in favor of a groundbreaking brand with real momentum. Adie has effected a successful transforma-tion, backed by a new visual identity, signature (“Microfi-nance solutions to set up your company”) and ad campaign.

A dual culture Accomplishing these feats in barely two years demanded every ounce of her serene strength and experience. Hers is a background still rare in France. Since 1975, she has pursued a career alternating between five-year periods of responsibilities in the public and private sectors. Between 1986 and 1993, her foray into the business world at the human resources department of Prisunic then with the PPR Group* was a real challenge. “As a woman with left-wing views and a background as a ministerial advisor, with no experience in the private sector, I had to deal with many disadvantages in dealing with managers, who had it out for me.” Still, she rose to every occasion, winning people over, rallying them to her cause and making things happen.

Her background is quite unique for someone with such responsibilities. It has imbued her with a desire to “transform society” while providing a keen insight into the motivation for business performance and the mysteries of public policy, both key factors in promoting progress. “I wish this kind of dual culture were more widespread in France: it encourages us to reassess our position in a way that is both healthy and beneficial. Society is incredibly homogeneous; is partitions off skills and synergies.” Never tempted to set up her own business (“I really thrive on that collective environment”), she brings “the best of both worlds” to Adie. She is a self-confessed “Adie addict” who travels the length and breadth of France and other European countries to “keep things rolling” and thrives on the “incredibly revitalizing optimism” of each and every entrepreneur. Safe to say, she has that same immediate effect on everyone she meets along the way. z* Kering as of June 2013

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BRIEF BIOz 1970: Graduates from Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) in Paris. z 1975: Joins the French National Assembly as undersecretary for the Parti Socialiste-Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche (PS-MRG) parliamentary group.z 1983: Chief of sta� for Michel Crépeau at the Ministry for Trade, Crafts and Tourism.z 1986 and 1993: Director of human resources for Prisunic, then head of human resources

and communications for the Printemps Redoute Group (later rebranded PPR and Kering in 2013).z Late 1999: Appointed general delegate for Employment and Vocational Training at the Ministry of Employment and Solidarity by Martine Aubry, then Minister of Employment and Solidarity.z 2005-July 2010: Joins the Conseil Régional d’Île-de-France as executive director of services.

FIGURES

2012

13,000 loan recipients, 450 employees and over 1,300 volunteers, 9,492 ejobs created and 5,559 jobs secured.

Since 1989

Over 120,000 microloans granted Over 89,000 companies created.

z Adie The Association for the Right to Economic Initiative (ADIE) was set up in 1989 and was inspired by Muhammad Yunus’ Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Adie is a real springboard for social integration and entrepreneurial opportunities for people who are interested in creating their own small business but are unable to obtain a bank loan, especially the unemployed and recipients of welfare benefits. The association helps people set up their business and provides support as they continue to grow. Adie has a solid network in France and further afield, in Belgium, Kosovo and Tunisia. zz Veolia Foundation assistance for Adie In the past six years, the Veolia Foundation has helped launch some 20 “Espace Adie” centers throughout the association’s area of coverage. The Foundation also recently contributed to the development of a site used to grant microloans and a microfranchise program to promote solidarity. Veolia will soon lend its support to Créajeunes, a training and coaching program for people under the age of 30 who are unable to gain a foothold in the job market or obtain a standard bank loan. z

visions


z GrowingBlue.com is a website designed to raise awareness about

good practices in water management. It offers a trustworthy

database that zeroes in on the socio-economic consequences of

the risk of water scarcity facing our society. z Professor Yu Gang, of

the University of Tsinghua in Beijing, shares his expert opinion on

environmental awareness in China after 30 years of strong economic

growth. z As the latest addition to an excellence network dedicated

to improving energy system efficiency, the Heat-Tech Center in

Warsaw is playing a key part in developing technologies that will

help shape the future. z

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“Will Your City Run Dry?” The seems to beat down on a dot-covered map of America. Each colored speck pinpoints areas at risk of water scarcity, including New York, Washington, large parts of California and – most worryingly – seven major agricultural regions.Welcome to the world of Growing Blue, the online water resources research tool co-created in 2011 by Veolia alongside some of the world’s foremost NGOs, academics and environmental professionals. The website’s animated, colorful interface provides access to a wealth of water-related facts and figures. Designed to both raise awareness and serve as a database on water resources, the site zeroes in on the economic and social consequences of the impending risk of water scarcity facing our society.Ever wonder which of the world’s countries is least watertight, losing the most amount of water through leaks or other causes before it reaches the customer? It’s Kenya, with network losses of 82.9%, compared with 4.4% in Singapore –one of the most efficient rates worldwide. Quick, which consumes more water: producing one pair of blue jeans or manufacturing a

z Water is the subject of a myriad of projections and assessments. For good reason: the resource is one of the most critical in determining how and for how long the planet will be able to support sustained population growth. GrowingBlue.com was created to help consumers – local authorities, industry, and individuals – better understand these challenges and adopt good practices. z

Blue planet

single 300-millimeter semiconductor wafer? It’s the jeans, which require 2,900 gallons of water, but wafers aren’t far behind…at 2,000 gallons. Growing Blue’s influence is, well, growing. The diversity of its steering committee – which includes IBM, the UN Global Compact and major NGOs like The Nature Conservancy – lends credibility to its claim as an unbiased source for water resource information. The colorful dot map is part of a recent report on U.S. water scarcity issued by Growing Blue and Columbia University, another committee member, which drew widespread press coverage. A quick tour shows the website’s clear, scholarly approach to economic issues related to water.

Surprises in the depths Clicking on the first of the website’s three major sections, the Growing BlueTM Tool, reveals an interactive map that allows visitors to zoom in and drill down to view the data for 180 individual countries

(or even each U.S. state), each color-coded according to “water stress” levels.

BY WILLIAM MENGEBIER

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The findings are sometimes predictable but can also be counterintuitive. In red-colored (high water stress) India, a flag signals that 741 million people are exposed to water scarcity. Clicking on the country, we also find a population of 935 million without a wastewater network and 817 million with no source of drinking water. Staggering numbers but not wholly unexpected. Panning west, though, another flag warns that 59 million Americans live in areas with high water stress levels*. Indeed, the Columbia/Veolia report reveals that drought-induced water shortages threaten major cities that are home to 40% of Americans as well as the breadbasket regions that produce almost 40% of the nation’s corn. U.S. data shows total renewable freshwater resources per capita of 7,950.82 m3/year, more than five times that of India. Yet, with a 0.499 water stress index score, all is not well from “sea to shining sea.” Let’s try going deeper by clicking on Water Use. Aha, click on “water withdrawn for municipal purposes” and all of the states west of the Mississippi River turn orange. Click on

Agricultural uses and – yikes! – the Old West turns dark orange and red. Click on Industrial uses and the red jumps to the Midwest and the East – indeed, a drop-down list on the page shows the U.S. ranking #1 in industrial water use with 220 billion m3/day, easily outdistancing #2 China (128.6 billion) and #3 Russia (39.6 billion). Not surprisingly, the U.S. also ranks #1 worldwide in water footprint per capita, the water used to produce the goods and services consumed by the population. An obvious correlation to national economic might? Hardly. The next three on the list are Greece, Malaysia and Italy. Clearly, more clicking is needed.

Looking downstream While the Tool may be the interactive star of Growing Blue, the site provides a host of other resources. The 2050 Scenarios section

shows how scarcity could affect both people and economic growth by 2050 if “business as usual” water management practices continue.

VISIONS GrowingBlue WEBSITE

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Pie charts show the projected impact of refusing to adopt sustainable water resource policies: by 2050, the number of people impacted by water scarcity will double from 2.4 billion to 4.8 billion.

Approximately half of global grain production and $63 trillion of total GDP could be at

risk. Implications of Growth focuses on water’s economic, environmental and societal

impacts, including real-world examples of the costs, trade-offs and potential solutions,

supported by real-world examples. Case studies reveal the myriad challenges being faced today around the world. In China, the contribution of uneven precipitation to high water stress levels in the North plain, home to one third of the country’s population. In Bali, high fresh water consumption by tourists – 16 times the local population’s daily per capita use – exacerbates water shortages that spread diseases such as cholera. But, there are also more surprises, such as shortages in the water-rich Great Lakes area in the American Midwest and a South African initiative to root out high water-consuming plants – a single eucalyptus tree can guzzle 40,000 gallons of water a year! Other site offerings include water footprint tools and a list of links to a veritable who’s who of additional water information websites. A new Water Impact Index (WIIX) Calculator on the site allows municipalities and businesses to enter their local data to test ideas about ways to reduce their impact on local water resources.Data is a theme that permeates the site, down to the graph paper background texture of the site’s pages. All data in its original spreadsheet format is available for download as a PDF. The News and Education section features Growing Blue press releases, blog posts and Twitter tweets as well as business-oriented pieces such as an interview with Xylem Inc. CEO Gretchen McClain and “Watching Water – A Guide to Evaluating Corporate Risks in a Thirsty World,” published by JP Morgan Global Equity Research. z

* Water stress: ratio of water withdrawal to hydrological availability, along with a variation factor to account for variability of precipitation; a score greater than .40 indicates a country is subject to water scarcity.

INTERVIEW

“GROWING BLUE IS HELPING INCREASE AWARENESS”

Ed Pinero*

Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs, Veolia North America

z Where does Growing Blue fit

into the water equation?

Judging from our increase in membership, people are coming to realize the import-ance of the relationship between water and economic growth, in a very big way. In industry, water is reaching and sometimes surpassing energy and climate change as a critical business and financial risk. Leaders at the 2012 World Economic Forum in Davos identified water-related risks as the top major global risk, when both potential impact and likeli-hood of occurrence are taken into account. Growing Blue is helping increase awareness of the urgent need for change by serving as a water issues infor-mation platform and resource for decision-makers, sponsor-ing exchanges like our recent seminar in Washington, D.C., and highlighting new data such as the Columbia study on US water risk.

z What links do you have with

schools?

We’re seeing a lot of interest from other universities, including 50 of the world’s top schools, to whom we presented in May at Veolia’s University Club in Lyon, France. Our open-source approach means our information can also be adapted as a teaching resource for students.

z How do you see Growing Blue

evolving in coming years?

It’s important that we continue to expand its content, such as we did in adding the blog and the water footprint tools. However, we have to keep our focus on the economic aspects of water resources, which is what makes Grow-ing Blue unique. We also need to continue to broaden our platform for dialogue, to be a medium for convening stake-holders around the specific issue of water and serve as a catalyst for action.

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*Ed Pinero, Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs, Veolia Environnement North America, has worked on sustainability, environmental and energy issues in the private and public sectors throughout his career, including in the White House and the Pennsylvania state government. He holds bachelors and masters degrees in geology.


VISIONS GrowingBlue WEBSITE

Water in 2050

Growing Blue reveals three possible scenarios based on actions undertaken in countries around the world“Grey”: very few initiatives taken to promote sustainability. “BAU”: business as usual. “Blue”: major efforts undertaken through joint initiatives with a focus on low, medium and high growth.

The extent of the predicted water shortages, shown in red, is lower under the “Blue” scenario (map 2 – major efforts undertaken) than under the “Grey” one (map 1 – very few initiatives taken)...

The underlying issues1 Click on the Growing Blue Tool map to find out more about water stress in regions around the world. 2 Zooming in on the United States highlights a crucial challenge for the country stemming from the link

between economic growth and the ability to manage resource scarcity, especially in California. 3 Users curious to find out what the future may hold can explore a few scenarios for 2050.

More than one billion people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water. 60% of global water resources are split between just 10 countries. There is now a pressing need to secure long-term water supplies. Regions in red on the map are already facing a water crisis. Areas in orange and yellow are on the brink...

“Grey” scenario High growth

3

1

1


In the U.S., the Growing BlueTM Tool’s zoom-in feature allows visitors to view state and regional patterns. Even a cursory glance shows that proximity to water alone is not enough to protect the resource from stress. While Alaska and Hawaii glow a healthy low-stress green (.024 and .012, respectively), the state with the 2nd longest coastline, California, is in the red zone and ranks #1 in the country on the water stress index, at 0.974. The state’s high municipal and agricultural consumption are the major culprits, while 691 water bodies are listed as “impaired” and 941,301 people in the state were affected by drinking water quality violations in 2009. But wait, all is not gloomy. Tucked away in a cor-ner of the California state map, an icon opens to a description of “Water Reuse in Orange County,” a wastewater reclamation system that returns purified water to the groundwater basin, where it becomes part of the public drinking water supply. A link to the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) home page pops open a counter with an impressive-looking 112,164,531,200 gallons of “New Water You Can Count On” – oops, a half hour later and another 1.3 million gallons* have flowed forth! Loads of additional information on the site is also available in English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin Chinese and Vietnamese. z

*GWRS uses a three-step advanced treatment process consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultra-violet light with hydrogen peroxide. Daily production capacity: 70 million gallons of water.

California Dreamin’

...highlighting the urgent need to implement sufficient measures.

High stressDemand cannot be met without transporting water.

Moderate stressWithdrawal has no significant impact on the environment.

Water shortageDemand outstrips supply, resulting in a significant impact on the environment.

Medium stressStress occurs during times of drought.

MunicipalThe drier the region, the more day-to-day demand from users puts a strain on water supply. As a result, domestic water deliveries vary wildly from one state to another, ranging from around 51 gallons per person per day in Maine to nearly 190 gallons in Nevada.

“Smart blue” scenario Medium growth

2

AgriculturalAgriculture is heavily dependent on water. However, the absence of a reliable water supply can take a real financial toll and penalize the economy.For example, in Washington alone, the 2001 drought was estimated to have cost between $270 million and $400 million in production damages, along with the loss of between 4,600 and 7,500 jobs.

IndustrialIn the eastern United States, the Rust Belt – including New England, major cities on the eastern seaboard and the Great Lakes region, along with the steel industry and coal mines of the Appalachian Mountains – is the heartland of heavy industry, textile production, assembly lines and rail transport. The west of the country is home to a new generation of industry that generally requires less water, including regions such as Silicon Valley, with high-tech companies and light industry offering significant added value. (Source: www.smeno.com)

Find out more athttp://growingblue.com/the-growing-blue-tool/

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VISIONS EXPERT’S VIEW

The environmental clock is ticking

China

HUBERT KERNÉIS

Professor Yu Gang After 30 years of strong economic growth, environmental awareness is now the order of the day in China. Professor Yu, Gang, Dean of the School of Environment at Tsinghua University in Beijing and Director of the Joint Research Center for Advanced Environmental Technology between Tsinghua University and Veolia Environnement, believes the time has come to seek solutions best able to promote sustainable development. Veolia Environnement’s agreement with the university should help make this goal a reality. z

z Is double-digit growth still compat-

ible with environmental conservation?

The greatest challenges facing China are air pollution, dirty water, contaminated soil, ecosystem destruction and loss of biodiversity. Over the past three decades, we have focused on economic growth. Today, everybody knows that neglecting the environment was a huge mis-take. With GDP growth expected to average around 7% in the years ahead, it is time to pursue a more sustainable form of development, which could unlock real opportuni-ties for the environmental industry in areas such as new cleantech, waste management and environ-mental management.

z This must be a pressing concern,

given that the World Bank has esti-

mated air pollution to be responsible

for some 750,000 premature deaths in

China each year.

I am not familiar with that report,

but if the figures are correct, they are alarming. On a positive note, environmental awareness is grow-ing on every level, from central government to the people on the ground. We now need to step things up a gear to promote production methods that protect resources and respect the living environment and well-being of our fellow citizens.

z To what extent has the demand for

greater transparency forced the gov-

ernment to take action?

The involvement of the Chinese people is a key factor in protect-ing the environment. We need to establish a legal framework that lets people actively contribute to public debate through different methods of input and oversight. There is also an urgent need to adopt an effective, transparent approach to provid-ing information on environmental issues. In terms of a legal frame-work for environmental protec-

tion, Chinese legislation is not yet as developed as that of its Western counterparts. For instance, the National People’s Congress (NPC) only recently began drafting the first law aimed at controlling soil pollution.

z What are the three most pressing

steps to be taken in terms of pollution?

Our immediate focus should be to strengthen and enforce legislation to prevent illegal emissions and close the dirtiest factories. Clean technolo-gies, effective waste management and energy efficiency cannot deliver their full potential without the backing of a clear legal framework and efficient public policy. The next priority is to renovate our infrastruc-ture through technological innova-tions designed to reduce emissions. Lastly, we must improve the quality of fuel used in China to reduce emis-sions from motor vehicles; current standards are too low.


z Reports suggest that 90% of ground-

water is contaminated in urban areas...

According to an official report issued by the Environment Ministry in 2012, samples from 4,390 inspec-tion points in 200 cities show that 57% of groundwater is unfit for human consumption. In the North China Plain, where groundwater pollution is a serious problem, a recent report from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences revealed that just 20% of shallow groundwater resources are fit for consumption.

z And what about attempts to reduce

greenhouse gases?

China is aiming to reduce energy use per unit of GDP by 16% between 2010 and 2015 while cutting emis-sions of CO2 by 8% and emissions of major pollutants by 10%. Doing so

will of course require an effort on the part of the industries responsible for pollution. At the same time, we need to cut back on coal and increase use of natural gas, while working to develop other energy sources such as nuclear, wind, hydro, solar and biomass by 2015.

z Where do things stand in terms of

environmental innovation?

There is naturally a real need for innovative technology, manage-ment, engineering and planning across the board, representing a wealth of opportunity for the envi-ronmental industry. In this respect, we have a lot to learn from the poli-cies put in place by European coun-tries. Hence the importance of the partnership between our university and Veolia Environnement. z

Partners up with VeoliaProfessor Yu Gang is candid: «We aim to improve our expertise through partnerships with foreign companies like Veolia Environnement to help protect the environment in China.” Since it was introduced in 2004, Veolia’s partnership with the university has led to a specialist program providing training in the management of urban services to promote sustainable development and protect the environment. This “Environment and Urban Management Advanced Program” (EUMAP) is an ambitious initiative aimed at helping Chinese managers take a cross-functional approach while factoring environmental considerations into the decision-making process. Between 2009 and 2013, EUMAP provided support for 260 senior managers working for local, regional and national authorities, along with research bodies, media and NGOs. In June 2013, EUMAP introduced a new course for 23 trainees from all over China.Building upon the success of the Environment and Urban Management Advanced Program (EUMAP), in 2010 Tsinghua University and Veolia Environnement founded the Joint Research Center for Advanced Environmental Technology. This excellence center focuses on the setting-up and the realization of research projects dedicated to Chinese needs, the coordination of an expertise network in Asia dedica-ted to environmental engineering as well the orga-nization and coordination of international congresses and workshops. z

Tsinghua School of EnvironmentFounded in 1928, Tsinghua University’s School of Environment (SOE) has worked tirelessly at the forefront of the campaign to raise environmental awareness in China. Its three departments and 12 divisions cover a wide array of fields such as treating water and wastewater, controlling air pollution, managing waste, microbiology, and sustainable energy management. In 2012, SOE had 80 teaching staff, 90 postdoctoral students, 260 researchers and 347 other students. (http://www.env.tsinghua.edu.cn)

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VISIONS OPEN INNOVATION


Always open!

Companies are enhancing their R&D efficiency. The “open innovation” paradigm has paved the way for new labs, shared data and joint research, offering a breath of fresh air for firms seeking solutions that can let them focus on bringing their products and services to market. Open innovation embraces a more collaborative approach, backed by a network of partners inside and outside the company, including universities, public organizations, SMEs and start-ups. Action is the modus operandi; synergy and cooperation the guiding principles.Open innovation is also the watchword of the five global tech centers set up by Veolia Environnement and dedicated to enhancing the efficiency of energy systems for both municipal and industrial customers. In 2012, the Heat-Tech Center (HTC) joined the Dalkia fold following the acquisition of a Polish company managing heating networks in Warsaw—another addition to this “network of excellence.” Working hand in hand with Veolia Environnement research and innovation teams and researchers at Warsaw University of Technology, the HTC focuses on developing one of the largest heating networks in Europe and plays a key part in promoting best practices and selecting the best technology.The center is working on two new projects in 2013: “Reliable District Heating” aims to boost the reliability of the district heating network, while “Smart Substations (3ST)” seeks to further everyday smart network solutions. In short, the HTC is helping Veolia to “cultivate relations between scientists and operational personnel,” explains Damien Ménard, deputy director of the center and representative of Veolia Environnement research and innovation in Warsaw. z

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VISIONS NEWSWATCH zzzz

COMMUNITY ENERGY SCHEMESThe springboard for a societal shift?

“The best way of persuading local people to accept wind farms is to ensure they have some share of the potential benefits,” The Economist points out. Although 82% of UK residents say they are in favor of renewable energy, only 50% say they would accept the presence of a wind farm in the vicinity of their own home. However, that figure rises to 68% if the project belongs to their community! Community energy schemes have an increasingly important role to play in the social acceptance of renewable energy by acting as a springboard for involvement and dialogue.

Getting their fair shareLocal green energy projects are particularly attractive—they offer ethical investment, a healthy return on investment, and job creation—and even more so considering that the “cooperative movement” encourages decentralization of the sector. The participative model has real advantages to propose to those who subscribe to the “Not in my backyard” (NIMBY) philosophy, i.e. those who are primarily concerned with preserving the quality

of their environment, even if it is to the detriment of the common good. It ensures that everyone gets his or her fair share in the process of economic, social and environmental compromise.

Three “co-ops” a weekSuch initiatives are proliferating, thanks in part to the European directive on renewable energy and the liberalization of the electricity market. In Germany the passage of a renewable energy law made it possible for small investors to finance more than half the investments in this sector—up to three new cooperatives are formed each week. In the UK, the Guardian estimates that 7,000 individual investors have poured more than £16 million into community energy projects since 1997. The Spanish energy cooperative Som Energia offers its members both the possibility of 100% renewable energy and projects with an annual return of 3 to 5%. Meanwhile in France, Énergie Partagée invests in local renewable energy projects with its own capital and acquires equity stakes in solar energy, biomass and microhydraulic companies (lesechos.fr).

z Already well underway across Europe, the energy transition is encouraging the adoption of new and renewable energies at a regional level, though not without creating localized conflicts. The successful projects demonstrate how the model of cooperative investment can be a convincing factor in accepting change, by reconciling individual profit with collective interest.zzzz zzzz zzzz

z Guardian.com, October 30, 2012; November 5, 2012 z lesechos.fr, April 24, 2013 z “Energy transition, the German energiewende,” Heinrich Böll Foundation, November 2012 z economist.com, May 25, 2013 z renewableenergyworld.com, March 12, 2013 z businessgreen.com, March 13, 2013 z rescoop.eu

According to the Welsh environment minister, the 4 MW produced by the Mynydd y Gwrhyd wind farm will enable the region to avoid 9,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year. The site will provide green energy to 2,000 homes and generate revenue that will be used to help families in need. (resource.uk.com)

For a minimum outlay of €500, German citizens will be able to invest in the construction of power lines. The federal environment minister believes that the plan will facilitate the acceptance of infrastructure required to make progress toward the country’s target of 100% renewable energy, sourced largely from wind farms in the North Sea. (thelocal.de)

The Energy Bill needs to be amended in order to protect community energy schemes, argues an article on the Guardian website. The UK bill has been drafted to benefit large energy producers, at the expense of community energy projects, which face insurmountable technical and administrative demands as soon as they pass the modest threshold of 5 MW. (guardian.com)

IN THE NEWS

FIGURES

70 TO 80%of the 6,000 wind turbines in Denmark are owned by cooperatives.

1,200the number of energy cooperatives in Europe, according to REScoop.eu, the Federation of groups and cooperatives of citizens for renewable energy in Europe.


z lemonde.fr, October 4, 2012; May 10, 2013 z bigbrowser.blog.lemonde.fr, February 15, 2012 z terraeco.net, February 21, 2012 z telegraph.co.uk, October 4, 2012 z guardian.com, March 18, 2013 z rue89.com, March 21, 2011 z neurope.eu, January 19, 2013 z “Promoting partnership through Environmental Education,” Naomi Inoue, 2012 z notrickszone.com, November 1, 2010 z “journaldelenvironnement,” March 8, 2013, eco-ecole.org z wvgazette.com, March 30, 2013

TEACHING CLIMATE CHANGEComparing notes

Everyone is talking about climate change, but how is it taught in the classroom? The poor relation of earth and life sciences, climatology suffers from a lack of recognition by teachers, according to lemonde.fr. So much so that in France, the teaching of global warming is not a subject in itself but is divided between different subject areas, the French newspaper continues. In English-speaking countries, where climate skeptics have a high profile, the subject remains “politically and ideologically controversial,” says an expert from the US National Center for Science Education. In Britain, the education ministry proposed ending the teaching of climate change for students under 14, before backing down in the face of an outcry by scientists and various organizations. In America, the Heartland Institute, a right-wing think tank skeptical of climate change, claims that evidence of the human responsibility for global warming is “unproven.” Nonetheless, new federal education guidelines insist that states no longer treat the

subject as taboo or optional, but consider it as a multidisciplinary area that extends well beyond the confines of the classroom. Teachers in countries where the environmental lobby is strong, like Germany, can at times be overzealous. In certain schools, according to a moderate climate skeptic, environmental consciousness is taught using “junk science” and alarmist discourse… with financial aid from a world leader in the production of lighting and low-energy light bulbs. Environmental education takes on a whole other dimension in Asia: on a continent where climate imbalance has a direct impact on people and resources, awareness of climate change is incorporated into disaster management. UNESCO has plans to implement major education programs and is prepared to innovate in order to find new approaches. The South Korean giant Samsung recently invested $1 million to develop and broadcast multimedia educational materials about climate change for Vietnamese teachers.

After Fukushima, the Japanese govern-ment amended the national law on environmental education to improve the resources available to teachers. This does not however prevent animated adverti-sements promoting the limited impact of nuclear energy on CO2 emissions from being broadcast outside the school gates. (rue89.com)

Dealing with the issue of global warming in a state whose economy depends on the extraction of coal demands great diplomatic skills, says a teacher from West Virginia. “It’s a sensitive subject, given that many students have parents who work in the sector,” she explains. “We have to encourage them to weigh the risks and the benefits of the industry and to work out for themselves the best compromise between ecology and the economy, while remaining within a scientific context.” (wvgazette.com)

z Last May, the temperature rose a notch in the hallowed quads of Oxford University. The reason? The funding of a geology laboratory by an oil company. At a time when the reality of climate change is widely accepted, new tensions are arising in the academic world, as the subject remains a delicate one and must be approached with caution. zzzz zzzz zzzz

IN THE NEWS

FIGURES

12 MILLION students in 54 countries follow the Eco-Schools syllabus, developed by the Foundation for Environmental Education, an international NGO.

ONLY 58%of Americans recognize the role of human activity in global warming, compared with 93% of Indonesians and 87% of Germans, according to a 2012 Ipsos survey for Axa.

BY GUILLAUME FROLET


VISIONS UPCOMING EVENTS

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS

OCTOBER 2013

z Future Cities Dubaiz October 8–10 zFuture Cities shines a spotlight on the latest solutions for addressing the major challenges of urbanization: security, water and waste management, tourism and hospitality, green building, transportation, energy management and disaster relief. z http://www.cityscapeglobal.com/en/futurecitiesevent/

z 11th Annual Cities Alive Conference (United States)z October 23-26 zThe Cities Alive conference centers on the concept of urban resiliency through an examination of urban housing and architecture. The event seeks to identify how we can capitalize on current know-how in order to mount a response to pressing social, environmental and economic concerns. z http://www.citiesalive.org/

NOVEMBER 2013

z 11th EURO-INBO 2013 international conference (Bulgaria)z November 13 - 16 zOrganized by the international network of basin organizations for the current and future implementation of the European Union’s framework directive on water,

this conference forms part of efforts to prepare second management plans, including a review of the monitoring networks and programs. In addition to the five scheduled roundtables, a workshop devoted to monitoring programs is also on the agenda, aimed at comparing and sharing monitoring practices and experiences in the various member states and basins (EU member and candidate countries, as well as all of Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Mediterranean basin). z http://www.riob.org/inbo/agenda/article/europe-inbo-2013

z Urban Environmental Pollution 2013 Asian Edition (China)z November 17–20 zThe mass rural exodus in Asia is leading to regional imbalances that have unhealthy consequences for inhabitants. This conference will address the full array of health and environmental concerns caused by this phenomenon, as reflected in its theme, “Creating Healthy, Liveable Cities.” z http://www.uepconference.com/

z Behavior, Energy and Climate Change (BECC) Conference 2013 (United States)z November 18–20 zThe BECC Conference is the

premier event focused on understanding behavior and decision-making with respect to energy usage, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, responding to climate change and creating sustainability. Each year, some 700 participants come together to share new research, discuss innovative policies, define program strategies, build networks and identify potential partners. z http://aceee.org/conferences/2013/becc

DECEMBER 2013

z Pollutec Horizons Show (France)z December 3 - 6 zThe show for cleantech and sustainable development continues to spotlight sustainable cities and manufacturing, with a special focus this year on a new topic: hospitals and sustainability. The event includes more than 300 conferences held in various theme areas, 30 Web TV broadcasts, and eight awards that will be presented to innovative cleantech companies. Two high-level business forums have also been planned: LeCleantech and the Green Business Meetings. z http://www.pollutec.com/GB.htm

FORUMS AND SUMMITS

OCTOBER 2013z SMART ENERGY EXPO ENERGY EFFICIENCY EXHIBITION (ITALY) zThis new forum for energy efficiency presents the full range of innovative technology for energy production and savings in a host of areas, including manufacturing, transportation, government, cities, services and housing.

z October 9–11http://www.smartenergyexpo.net/en

NOVEMBER 2013z THE SOCIAL COST OF CARBON: IMPLICATIONS FOR MODERNIZING OUR ELECTRICITY SYSTEM (UNITED STATES) zEconomist Laurie T. Johnson will present a detailed financial formula for

calculating the social cost of carbon more effectively, so that the investment required for cleaner, innovative technology can be more accurately assessed.z November 5http://events.jhu.edu/event/the_social_cost_of_carbon_implications_for_modernizing_our_electricity_system#.UkmxA4Zmim4

OCTOBER 2013z 22nd WORLD ENERGY CONGRESS z“Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today”: This year, the World Energy Congress invites government ministers, industrial sector CEOs, analysts and researchers to examine the challenges posed by the “energy trilemma”: energy security, social equity and reduced environmental impact. z October 13–17 (Daegu, South Korea) http://www.daegu2013.kr/eng/index.do

z 7th WORLD FORUM OF RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY z At this year’s forum, where efforts to drive change will be at the heart of the discussion, a special day-long event featuring Jeremy Rifkin will focus on “Transitioning the Nord-Pas-de-Calais Region into the Third Industrial Revolution.” z October 23–25 (Lille, France)http://www.worldforum-lille.org

z 6th SMART GRID LATIN AMERICAN FORUM zOrganized around the theme “How is technological modernization accelerating change in the electricity industry?”, the forum aims to provide an overview of technological progress in smart grids and assess their impact on the growth of related technology. z November 26–28 (Sao Paulo, Brazil)http://www.smartgrid.com.br

NOVEMBER 2013z CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE (POLAND) zThis major conference marks a transitional phase following the fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 15) in Copenhagen. Using Cancun, Durban and Doha as its starting point, the event will prepare for climate negotiations, with the aim of arriving at an initial binding agreement to be signed by all Framework Convention signatories at COP 21 in Paris, scheduled for 2015. The Warsaw program is expected to mobilize green funds on behalf of developing countries and establish an international mechanism for losses and damages.z November 11 - 22http://unfccc.int/meetings/warsaw_nov_2013/meeting/7649.php


Diversity and equal opportunityVeolia employees share their experiences in this new video exploring the company’s commitments and model for employee relations throughout the world.

Kios

k

In bookstores

Kios

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Learning: acting for the future by louis albert de broglie

A stunning collection of educational charts from the Deyrolle archives.

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

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

z Publication Director: Laurent Obadia. Editorial Director: Christophe Valès. Editorial Manager: Christian Dexemple. Editor-in-Chief: Françoise de Voronine. z Image content: Laure Duquesne, Gilles Hureau. z With special contributions from: Benoît Bardon, Arnaud Jean, Sandra Vedel. Dominique Boizeau, Samantha Bowles, Claire Billon-Galland, Pascale Ceccaldi, Mi-Young Choi, Martin Courtois, Delphine Cuny, Scott Edwards, Maria Frändfors, Kirstin Hinchcli�, Kevin Hurst, Zoë Johnston, Eva Kucerova, Sylvaine Leriquier, Clément Leveaux, Yan Meng, Justine Mora, Carole Ribardière, Justine Shui, François Dewerdt, Aurélia Vincent. z Copyright: October 2013. ISSN number: 1761-4996. z Production Consultancy: Jean-Claude Le Dunc. z Translation: Sémantis. z Cover photos: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP; Veolia photo library: Adam Ihse/Interlinks Image; Stéphane Lavoué; Christophe Majani d’Inguimbert; Justin Sutcli�e/Interlinks Image.

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

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