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Waste
SITTOMAT has appointed SUEZ to build and operate the Toulon region’s new recycling centre for selectively collected waste
On Wednesday 20 December 2023, Gilles Vincent, Chair of the Toulon region’s transport and domestic waste management authority (SITTOMAT) and Antoine Bousseau, Managing Director of Services to Local Authorities for the SUEZ Recycling and Recovery business signed a contract for the construction and operation of a new recycling centre for specific collected waste (household packaging, paper and cardboard). 35,000 tonnes of recyclable waste will be processed every year at this new facility, located in La Farlède, to empower SITTOMAT to better serve more than 566,000 people in the Toulon region. The contract around €65 million will begin with two years of design and construction work, followed by a seven-year operation period.
A new facility to help people recycle more, and more effectively
The new recycling centre will have capacity to process 35,000 tonnes of waste per year in order to meet SITTOMAT’s current needs. It is projected to handle up to 42,000 tonnes of household packaging, paper and cardboard waste per year in normal operating conditions.
It will be more efficient, allowing simpler recycling guidelines for local residents, in line with those in place nationally. This will make it easier for people to sort their waste so that they can recycle more, and more efficiently.
The centre will also help to raise public awareness of recycling: Open days and guided tours led by recycling experts will be held to allow members of the public to see how their waste is sorted and recycled. Additionally, school excursions will be organized to educate students on the importance of recycling, raising children’s awareness today so that they become keen recyclers in the future.
The centre will also mean that trucks no longer have to transport waste outside the département, thereby reducing mileage and emission levels, saving resources while preserving the environment.
An innovative recycling centre fully embedded in its community
The centre will be the first in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur to feature a dual-arm robotic sorter that operates using both artificial intelligence and 3D vision, accurately identifying all items of unwanted waste on a sorting conveyor belt and automatically removing them from the recycling process. This is another step forward in improving the Var département’s waste recycling performance.
These technological innovations will allow the centre’s staff to shift their focus towards quality control. There will be 45 people working at the La Farlède centre, with 30 newly created jobs and a team of 12 people recruited through a workforce integration programme.
Gilles Vincent, Chair of SITTOMAT, said: “For many years, SITTOMAT has wanted to have a new recycling centre in the heart of its region, and has aspired to provide an innovative service, fully suited to the needs of its community while maintaining cost efficiency. This project will also support local businesses, combining their expertise with that of an international group like SUEZ.”
Antoine Bousseau, Managing Director of Services to Local Authorities for the SUEZ Recycling and Recovery business, added: “This project is the result of a successful collaboration between SUEZ and local entities to develop the best waste recycling solutions, ones that meet SITTOMAT’s ambitions. The synergies achieved from combining our international expertise in waste recycling centres with the skills of a group of advisors who are experts in their field will give fresh impetus to waste management in the region. It will allow people in Var to recycle more, and more efficiently. We are proud to be working with SITTOMAT and helping it to lead the Var département’s ecological transition while involving its residents in the process.”
The new household waste, paper and cardboard recycling centre in figures:
- A 9-year contract (2024-2032) comprising 2 years of construction work and a 7-year operational phase.
- 35,000 tonnes of waste processed each year, handling all relevant waste produced in the region.
- A local consortium of specialist businesses led by SUEZ, including Atelier 5, GSE and EBHYS.
- 45 people employed at the new centre.
- €64.4 million of investment to build the centre: €34.7 million for the design/build phase and €29.7 million for the operational phase.
The project is being funded by:
- SITTOMAT
- Central government via the “Fonds Friche” brownfield regeneration fund: €3,601,030
- ADEME: €1,100,000
- Région Sud: €500,000
- CITEO: €950,000