Northern Europe at the Forefront of Environmental Solutions

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT FOUR-PAGE SUPPLEMENT ON SITA UK MagazineNumber 06_January 2011

“BUILDING OUR FINANCIAL POLICY BASED ON OUR INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY” INTERVIEW WITH JEAN-MARC BOURSIER_P.10

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Design/Installation/Operation

Design/Engineering

Installation

Thermal power plant

Electrical distribution/Sales

Drinking water production

Wastewater treatment

Waste collection

Waste management

Hazardous waste treatment

Recycling

Under construction

Branch

Headquarters

SSUEZ06_UK_002007.inddUEZ06_UK_002007.indd 0202 226/01/116/01/11 15:04:0115:04:01 No. 06 – JANUARY 2011 PORTFOLIO_ 03 MOVING TOWARDS GREEN GROWTH CHINA’S WHIRLWIND DEVELOPMENT IS RAISING SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT WATER, AIR AND LAND. CONFRONTED WITH THIS SITUATION, THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ARE IMPLEMENTING DRASTIC ACTION PLANS AND INVESTING SUBSTANTIAL MEANS, PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT TO DEMONSTRATE ITS KNOW-HOW.

PHOTOS: PATRICK WACK

There should be an additional 300 million people living in Chinese cities by 2030.

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Expo 2010 in Shanghai attracted 73 million visitors from 192 countries.

GDF SUEZ and SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT partnered with the France Pavilion, which welcomed over 10 million visitors.

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01_

7,000employees in the country

02_ 01_ 03_ Since 2002, the municipality of Shanghai has contracted SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT to produced drinking and industrial water and to treat all the effl uents from SCIP, one of Asia’s largest industrial parks. 02_ In 2006, on the SCIP site, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT inaugurated a partnership with the University of Tongji and ECUST, China’s fi rst R&D centre dedicated to industrial effl uents. 03_ The Shanghai park’s hazardous waste incinerator has an annual treatment capacity of 60,000 tons.

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01_ 02_ 19 Chinese cities are served by SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, including in Chongqing, where Sino French Tangjiatuo JV is one of the largest wastewater treatment plants of China with complete treatment process and cutting-edge automation technologies.

01_ 03_ A large part of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s teams are based in Shanghai. 02_ SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has been present in China for over 30 years, and provides 11 million inhabitants with drinking water. 03_ The group has 7,000 employees in China.

SSUEZ06_UK_002007.inddUEZ06_UK_002007.indd 0606 226/01/116/01/11 15:06:0715:06:07 No. 06 – JANUARY 2011 PORTFOLIO_ 07 26 joint ventures operated Over 14 million inhabitants are supplied with drinking water and wastewater treatment services.

The group, whose revenue in the Middle Kingdom was €866 million in 2009, has been present in the country for 30 years, notably through its subsidiaries Sino French Water, SITA Waste Services and Degrémont. The latter, for that matter, was one of the fi rst companies to set up public-private partnerships on a local level for drinking water distribution, industrial water production, as well as for sludge and wastewater treatment. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is particularly well established in the region of Shanghai, where a large part of the China-based teams are based. Since 2006, it also has an R&D centre dedicated to industrial wastewater and hazardous waste in the heart of the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP). This park, located in the north of the city, is one of the top petrochemical and refi - ned chemistry industrial zones in the country. Its objective is to become a regional showcase in environmental protection. In 2009, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT also won a new contract in the Shanghai region to treat wastewater sludge from the Sino-Singaporean Industrial Park in Suzhou. This €280-million contract will involve Degrémont and SinoFrench for 30 years. is unquestionably a country which has expe- In this context, it was only natural that SUEZ rienced spectacular growth, with economic ENVIRONNEMENT and GDF SUEZ were involved in Expo 2010, China development of around 10% a year, rampant which was held in Shanghai between May and October 2010, urbanisation, and a middle class that has grown 46% in the focussing on the theme “Better City, Better Life”. The group last fi ve years. The downside is that this development comes at was present in four pavilions, demonstrating the professionalism the price of massive pollution, primarily in terms of air quality, and expertise of its team members (audiovisual and multimedia but the country is also facing water shortages and poor quality facilities, design and operation the site’s wastewater treatment water. Some 50% of the water sources for major urban areas and plant, etc.). It was yet another occasion to highlight the bonds it medium-sized cities are unfi t for consumption. Waste manage- has with China. ment has also become a major challenge. The country buries (1) Representing the quantity of greenhouse gas emitted per yuan of national revenue 90% of its waste, yet today is lacking disposal sites. At the same earned. time, the volume of urban waste is increasing 10% a year. To deal with this environmental situation, the Chinese Government has set the goal of reducing the country’s carbon emission intensity(1) by 40% to 45% by 2020, in relation to 2005. It has also decided to make industrial pollution prevention and control a key priority. In the fi ve years to come, China plans to invest $175 billion, or about 1.4% of its GDP, in environmental protection. These governmental decisions represent opportunity and real leverage for growth for SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT.

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02 PORTFOLIO 29 TALENTS SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Shanghai: moving towards Portrait of Élodie Clenet, Magazine green growth sanitation technician, is a publication Overview of Expo 2010 and Lyonnaise des Eaux, France of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT. Tour CB 21 SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s Protecting the environment 16 Place de l’Iris presence in China. with effective network 92040 Paris, La Défense - France monitoring. DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATION: 10 CHALLENGES Jean-Louis Chaussade. When financial policy 30 SPECIAL REPORT EDITORIAL DIRECTORS: goes hand in hand with Innovating to accelerate Frédérique Raoult, Nathalie Parinaud-Gouédard, industrial strategy development Martha Rodriguez. What are the group’s Creating a culture of EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: prospects for growth? innovation at all levels of Gérald Bonnard Telephone: +33 1 58 81 23 26 the company. Fax: +33 1 58 81 25 06 14 INNOVATIONS ISSN NUMBER: 2108-3762. ® Ozonia’s UV AQUARAY 38 TALENTS COVER: © Alex Holland/CORBIS (Stockholm, Sweden). H2O reactors Portrait of the © THIERRY DUVIVIER/TRILOGIC A Degrémont innovation. Mitchel Family, SITA UK DESIGN: “Innovation should A total of seventy-seven 55, rue d’Amsterdam, 75008 Paris. find expression years of working in waste Telephone: +33 1 53 32 55 88. management. at all levels of the 15 CONTINENTS WRITERS: Nelly Buffon, Yves Deguilhem, business.” SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT news Romain Hugonnet, Cécile Perrin, 17 Northern Europe Olivier Sauvy, Matthieu Perotin. 20 Around the world 39 INNOVATIONS 30 ASSIGNED EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Ice pigging to clean pipes Marine Schatz, Karine Taillandier. An AGBAR innovation. THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ISSUE: 24 TALENTS Sarah Aerts, Annelise Avril, Jean-Marc Audic, Portrait of Kusha Srivastava, Brita Bóden, Pascal Dauthuille, Dominique Demessence, Hubert Grienenberger, Richard Hall, HR Coordinator, Degrémont 40 INNOVATIONS Stuart Higgins, Michel Hurtrez, Eleonore Ho Thi, India The Rhodanos project Jasmin Ellik, Khadija Mouhaddab, Abderrazak Making sure human resources For better management Moussadek, Arline Noyaux, Anne Pedretti, run smoothly. of water body. Deb Rizzi, Christine Waser and Jackie Zeng. TRANSLATION: Pro-fusion.

PRODUCTION MANAGER: 25 INNOVATIONS 41 MILESTONES Sabrina Ouari. Biogas The latest in green books, PRINT RUN: 23,000. Contributing to wastewater ﬁ lms and events. treatment plant energy self- PRINTER: Desbouis Grésil Imprimeur sufﬁ ciency. 91230 Montgeron Telephone: +33 1 69 83 44 66. 42 PERSPECTIVES This document is printed Rafael Mujeriego on paper PEFC. 10-31-1444 26 EYEWITNESS The man who wants to give Peter Sammut and the wastewater a new life. Melbourne desalination plant Overview of the largest public-private partnership Printed by an Impim’Vert-certified printer in the world. on paper from sustainably managed forests.

Send your comments to: [email protected]

You can also find us on: w Web : www.suez-environnment.com w Blog : www.waterblog.suez-environnement.com w Twitter : http://tritter.com/suezenv w YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/user/SUEZenvironnement

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Dear readers, This issue of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Magazine focuses on innovation, that incredible lever for progress, representing value for our customers and prospects for our employees. Innovation should enable us to meet today’s challenges and anticipate tomorrow’s needs. Despite the economic downturn, in 2010 we maintained our ﬁ nancial efforts in R&I. We also increased coordination of our initiatives by setting up a new © ANTOINE REYRE © ANTOINE innovation department in charge of leading and promoting our efforts in this JEAN-LOUIS CHAUSSADE / CEO, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT area. Finally, last November, we launched Blue Orange, our corporate investment fund aimed at supporting the development of promising new technology start-ups. “INNOVATION SHOULD ENABLE US TO MEET MORE THAN JUST Technical innovations play a key role in facing today’s environmental TECHNICAL CHALLENGES, challenges. They can, notably, contribute to extracting secondary primary AND PARTICULARLY TO MEET resources from certain waste products. This is the case in the United THOSE RELATED TO Kingdom, with a recent contract won to build 10 plants capable of transforming 60,000 tons of plastic waste into diesel fuel every year. In water, SOCIAL AND our remote metering technological expertise enabled us to win, with IBM, the largest European market in this area (250,000 meters) to equip the entire SOCIETAL island of Malta. RESPONSIBILITY.” However, in a constantly changing world, innovation should not be limited to technologies. We also need to meet challenges in other areas, and particularly in matters of social and societal responsibility. This is why in December 2010, at the ﬁ rst European Forum for Diversity, we presented an ambitious “Equal Opportunities, Social Progress and Commitment” program, which you will discover in our next issue. Once again, we are inventing new models to overcome environmental, social and economic crises that the world is facing today. Enjoy this issue.

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WHEN FINANCIAL POLICY SERVES INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT IS PURSUING ITS EXPANSION IN ALL ITS MARKETS DESPITE THE ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN. JEAN-MARC BOURSIER, THE GROUP’S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DISCUSSES THE KEYS TO THIS REMARKABLE RESILIENCE, AND SETS THE COURSE FOR THE YEARS TO COME: PURSUING A STRATEGY OF PROFITABLE GROWTH. © ARNAUD FÉVRIER

JEAN-MARC BOURSIER / CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s listing on the stock market and investments in them, for that matter, have remained at the coincided with the worldwide fi nancial crisis. How has the same level since 2008. company made its way through this period? Our policy has fi rst been to protect the company’s balance sheet What conclusion can you draw concerning the strategy that and its major balances. This determination motivated, among was implemented? other things, a reduction in investments from €1.7 to €1.1 billion The priority was to avoid a drop in revenue and in EBITDA(2), between 2008 and 2009. Another major focus of action has been which measure the company’s operational profi tability. And the to optimise operational costs by boosting the Compass program(1) gamble paid off overall, because the fi rst indicator increased by objectives. Thanks to the mobilisation of all parts of the company, 0.6%(3) between 2008 and 2009, while the second showed only a we have managed to save €190 million over two years (2008- slight drop of 1.2%(3). The group maintained a high “EBITDA over 2009), which is remarkable! revenue” margin of 16.8%, thanks to good operational performance At the same time, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT prepared for in three segments (Water Europe, Waste Europe, International). recovery by continuing its efforts in terms of research and innova- Overall, it is worth highlighting how well our results held tion, commercial development and communication. We consider up to the crisis. This observation is that much more promising these areas to be key in order to stand out from our competition, with the economic recovery, which proved to be very progres- sive in 2010, at least in Europe. In this context, at the end of the third quarter 2010, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT showed strong growth in operational performance, with an increase of 11.8%(3) in revenue and 9.9%(3) in EBITDA. We increased our annual objectives by committing to revenue growth in 2010 greater than or equal to 7%(3) in relation to 2009, and growth in operational results greater than or equal to 9%(3). When we published the 2010 third quarter results, we indicated our confi dence in reaching

these objectives. w © ARNAUD FÉVRIER

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“DESPITE THE DOWNTURN, INVESTMENTS IN R&D, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATION HAVE BEEN KEPT AT THE SAME LEVEL SINCE 2008.” © ARNAUD FÉVRIER

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KEY FIGURES THIRD QUARTER RESULTS 2010 €10,135 million in revenue

w +11.8% growth at constant exchange rate and by division: +6.4% for Water Europe +9.4% for Waste Europe +22.7% for International w €1,690 million EBITDA (+9.9% growth at constant foreign exchange rate) w € 7,319 million net financial debt (+16.5% in relation to December 31, 2009) © ARNAUD FÉVRIER

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“THE COMPANY’S w TRAJECTORY SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s three divisions show positive, but contrasting performance. What is the cause of these DEMONSTRATES disparities? Volumes have tended to decrease over the past ten years in the THE RELEVANCE european water market. The increase in revenue over the past year (+6.4%(3)) came primarily from commercial development. SUEZ OF SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’S ENVIRONNEMENT now offers additional services to all its cus- ECONOMIC MODEL.” tomers (remote meter reading, recovering heat from wastewater to heat public buildings, etc.). In the Waste Europe division, two main elements contributed to growth (+9.4%(3)) despite a relatively lifeless economic context. On one hand, the increase in price of secondary resources that our teams collect, sort and recover—paper-cardboard and metal are on top. On the other hand, recycling volumes increased, notably due to regulatory pressure. The largest growth (+22.7%(3)) is credited to the International division, whose business units are developing on booming markets characterised by an increase in both price and volume. Further- more, our Degrémont subsidiary benefi ted from the advance- Every entity is mobilising energy to improve the effi ciency of ment of the construction of the Melbourne desalination plant, processes related to purchasing, IT and insurance, mutualising with a revenue increase of 52% at the end of September 2010! overhead costs, reducing the number of workdays lost following Overall, as you see, 2011 will be a return to growth for SUEZ accidents, etc. ENVIRONNEMENT. Integrating AGBAR has also been the object of specifi c savings, which include, among other things, rationalising the development Could the differences in momentum among markets cause structures, simplifying geographic coverage and adapting SUEZ you to reconsider your investment criteria? ENVIRONNEMENT’s standard procedures. I would fi rst like to specify that at SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, As we are mentioning this point, I would like to insist on the we do not have a fi nancial policy that is independent of strategic strategic interest there is in taking over AGBAR. This company, and industrial stakes. My role is to contribute to defi ning industrial which is a little bit to Spain what the Lyonnaise des Eaux is to strategy, while ensuring that we have the resources to implement France, allows us to build a second European water pillar and to it: there would be nothing worse than have to bypass an opportu- bolster our growth. We will also gain from its commercial power nity for lack of funding. in countries such as Chile, where AGBAR is a real leader. That said, it is necessary to defi ne priorities in terms of development. Several principles guide our choices. We will remain How do you see SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s future? focussed on water and waste, which continue to offer promising Growth factors (increasing worldwide population, increased prospects. Geographically, the group’s positions outside of Europe urbanisation, environmental awareness and stricter regulation), lead to faster growth internationally, and particularly in Asia and the company’s trajectory and the contracts won in 2010 demon- Australia. In Europe, where industrial activity remains low, we are strate the relevance of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s economic continuing our expansion in water, by integrating AGBAR’s activi- model, which brings visibility, profi tability and growth. ties, and our sorting and recovery activities show strong growth. The programs I described should lead us to be worldwide ref- The balance will also be sought between regulated activities— erences in environmental utilities. Our ambition to be the most which consume a lot of investment but bring in regular income— competitive and to be the most appealing to young graduates and unregulated activities. Overall, we will now give more capital who want a career in the environment, and the most consulted to those business units that have already demonstrated their ability by industrials and by authorities facing issues linked to water or to create value on their market. waste. If we manage to make that a reality, I have no doubt that the fi nancial markets will give SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT the Is the cost reduction plan still as relevant, considering the boost it deserves. company’s good fi nancial results? Of course, in that maintaining strong operational profi tability is decisive for the future. Our competitiveness depends on it. (1) Cost reduction program launched in 2008. Compass 2 was launched in 2010 with the ambition of generation (2) EBITDA: earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. €250 million of additional savings over three years. (3) At constant exchange rate.

Find out more at: w www.suez-environnement.com>finance

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TODAY, OZONE(1) AND ULTRAVIOLET (UV) are among the “IGS TECHNOLOGY REDUCES most efﬁ cient and ecological technologies available for treating polluted water. Ozonia, a subsidiary of Degrémont, has played a THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF major role in the emergence of these solutions. “For twenty years, OZONATORS BY 10% TO 30% OVER we have been designing disinfection and oxidation equipment,” explains Huber Grienenberger, the company’s general manager. THOSE OF OUR COMPETITORS.” “Thanks to continuous efforts in innovation, we are world leader in supplying ozonation equipment.” Ozonia is also preparing to respond to new needs, for example Today, Ozonia is facing two major challenges: increasingly strict by turning towards “emerging pollutants”: endocrine, hormone regulations, which require ever-more effective pollution treat- and antibiotic traces found in wastewater. “The combination of ment, and changing customer environmental expectations. ozone or UV with hydrogen peroxide treatment(5) is very promising,” Research and development teams are hard at work. “We have, says Hubert Grienenberger. Several solutions are currently being among other things, perfected IGS(2) technology, which reduces tested in pilot plants. Stay tuned… energy consumption of ozonators(3) by 10% to 30% over the (1) Gas with a very high oxidation power that is used notably for disinfecting and eliminating competitors.” certain undesirable elements in water. In the UV area, Ozonia is regularly perfecting its range of Aqua- (2) Intelligent Gap System. (3) Apparatus that produces ozone from air or from oxygen under the effect of an electrical ray disinfection systems. H2O reactors, designed for treating drin- discharge. king water, were recently chosen by SAGEP(4)-City of Paris, to equip (4) Paris water management company. two plants in the Paris area in Orly and Joinville. “The customer (5) Liquid used to treat water, particularly for eliminating pollutants or disinfecting water. beneﬁ ts from a compact solution that can integrate with existing systems and, above all, is compatible with new regulations on Find out more: Cryptosporidium and Giardia allowances.” w www.degremont-technologies.com

INNOVATING FOR BETTER WATER TREATMENT © DR

SSUEZ06_UK_014.inddUEZ06_UK_014.indd 1414 226/01/116/01/11 15:00:5815:00:58 No. 06 – JANUARY 2011 CONTINENTS_ 15 Northern Europe — Northern Europe did not escape the torment of the worldwide financial and economic crisis. Scandinavian countries, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, whose economies are based on export, are suffering from slowed down international trade, while the United Kingdom has launched an unprecedented austerity plan. Despite this difficult climate, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT activities are staying on course. Northern countries are one step ahead in terms of environmental policy. And although until now the United Kingdom has been an exception, environment issues are requiring innovative solutions for the various Northern European countries, serving SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT as leverage for growth. © MURAT TANER/CORBIS © MURAT

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SITA UK IS: c UP

2 million tonnes SITA UK won a of waste recycled and recovered 20-year extension of the More than 9 million tonnes Aberdeenshire municipal of waste treated annually contract in north-eastern Scotland. More than a million MWh produced from waste from storage centres and incinerators, enough to fuel 215,000 homes

Over 12 million people benefit from SITA UK services

More than 42,000 commercial and industrial customers © JEAN-CHRISTIAN MEYER / © AT&E ARCHITECTURES © JEAN-CHRISTIAN MEYER / AT&E

01_In December 2010, SITA UK received the Carbon Trust Standard, NORTHERN EUROPE / proof of its commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

WASTE IN NORTHERN EUROPE SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s business activity in Northern Europe GDF SUEZ has experienced strong growth in waste management. The majority of countries in the area focus on recycling and incineration. Waste put in landfills represent from 1% to 4% in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden, while this SUCCESSFUL ENTRY INTO THE NORD STREAM figure reaches 57% in the United Kingdom. Yet British landfills PROJECT have reached their limits and the public authorities have set up The Nord Stream natural gas pipeline will be a new taxes to encourage local authorities to choose new new route to transport Russian natural gas treatment approaches. This context represents a real toward Europe, running a distance of around 1,200 km across the Baltic Sea. It should be able opportunity for SITA UK, which develops energy recovery to convey 55 billion cubic meters/year in 2012. unit projects. GDF SUEZ took a 9% stake in the consortium, On the other hand, countries in the NEWS (Northern Europe becoming the fifth shareholder in the project. Waste Services) zone —Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany— have among the highest performance in recycling: LONDON’S OLYMPIC PARK HAS A POWER PLANT 60% of their waste is recycled. These countries are real GDF’s subsidiary Cofely District Energy Ltd. will laboratories for waste treatment, and SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT supply heat, air conditioning and electricity to and its SITA subsidiaries are working there on innovative and the Olympic Park during the London Olympic Games in 2012, as well as the new “sustainable” exportable solutions. neighbourhood in Greater London, for the dura- tion of the concession (40 years).

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GERMANY

MEASURING CO2 EMISSION SAVINGS The CO -scan, a tool SITA Germany offers 50,000 2 SITA Belgium companies have contracted to its customers, calculates CO2 emission to collect waste for 3.8 million Belgian savings over a year in relation to 1990(1) inhabitants. thanks to their waste treatment (paper, glass, plastic, wood, metal, etc.). Users get a certificate and can highlight the results used, particularly in their sustainable development reports.

(1) Kyoto Protocol reference year.

02_SITA Germany’s 3,000 team members provide serviced for 10,000 individual customers and 01_ ALAIN © GDF SUEZ/SMILOVICI 02_ 60,000 commercial customers.

SWEDEN FINLAND RECYCLING COMPANY OF THE YEAR THE FIRST RECYCLING In November, SITA Sweden received a Recycling Award for its construction waste management concept. This service recycles 98% of construction ROBOT waste, and has already attracted a number of businesses in the building SITA Finland and Zen Robotics Ltd., a Finnish high-tech sector. SITA employees are present throughout the construction work, company, are working together on a robotics-based artificial planning all waste management and removal. Their presence guarantees intelligence recycling solution: ZenRoboticsTM. This new optimal sorting. Furthermore, since there is only 2% mixed, unsorted waste, camera and scanner-assisted waste sorting system landfill costs are reduced. Another advantage for the customer companies separates articles and materials safely with unprecedented is that the waste removal service used simplifies construction sites in efficiency and precision. SITA Finland will be the first densely populated areas where there is often limited space. company in the world to test this innovative system.

BELGIUM VOLUME RETAILING CHOOSES SITA SITA Belgium and the Groupe Delhaize, a supermarket chain, have renewed a three-year contract for the collection and treatment of non-hazardous waste from distribution centres. SITA Belgium also renewed its contract with Carrefour for three years to collect and treat organic waste from all the retailer’s stores in the country. That’s a good harvest! © DR

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SWEDEN GERMANY A UNIQUE HAZARDOUS EURAWASSER WASTE MANAGEMENT REWARDED FOR ITS SYSTEM PERSONNEL POLICY SITA Sweden is developing Eco Simplex, a comprehensive hazardous waste At the end of 2010, Eurawasser was management system. The simplicity of rewarded for its management approach the concept has already attracted some that favours employee family life. This 3,000 businesses of varying sizes and award, given by the Family Ministry and activities, including IKEA, Vianor and by the Bertelsmann Foundation, aims to Däckia/Goodyear. On the customer’s improve the balance between private life premises, SITA installs a container and work in German businesses. adapted to the hazardous waste that needs treating, ensuring traceability through to destruction or recycling.

A customer using SITA Sweden’s © DR Eco Simplex service. © DR NORTHERN EUROPE /

NETHERLANDS FOR SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS GDF SUEZ In November, SITA Netherlands won the Lean & Green Award, given out by the Connekt RODENHUIZE environmental network. GOES FULLY This award rewards SITA’s GREEN efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in its transport In Gant, Belgium, the transformation of the Rodehnhuiz coal operations by at least 20% power plant into a 180 MW, between now and 2012. 100% biomass plant is advancing. That is one way to set up This project, which has been sustainable logistics so the named Max Green, will enable the production of a volume of green planet has cleaner air to energy equivalent to that used by breath. 320,000 inhabitants by April 2011,

and will reduce CO2 emissions. © GDF SUEZ/ABACAPRESS/VIDAL ERIC © GDF SUEZ/ABACAPRESS/VIDAL

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OPERATING SWEDEN A NORWEGIAN OIL FIELD ZERO GREENHOUSE GDF SUEZ On November 25, 2010, GDF SUEZ EMISSIONS IN MALMÖ signed an operatorship transfer for the Gjøa (North Sea)(1) to GDF SITA Sweden has renewed its SUEZ E&P Norge AS, its Norwegian household waste management subsidiary, with Statoil. The group has thus become a producing operator contract for the 150,000 inhabitants for the first time in Norway. This is a in Malmö, the largest city in southern good springboard for GDF SUEZ to get operator status on future projects. Sweden (300,000 inhabitants). The 17 new collection trucks run on (1) Gjøa was discovered in 1989. Its reserves are estimated at 40 billion cubic meters of gas and 82 million barrels of oil and condensate. Its exploration lasted natural gas and should produce fewer 15 years, with the development of the platform and underwater installations taking ﬁ ve more years. emissions. These trucks could, in the future, be fueled by biogas produced, for example, from landfills or wastewater treatment plants. NORTHERN EUROPE /

FINLAND UNITED KINGDOM TANGO IN THE ERA OF ENVIRONMENTAL NEW RECYCLING PLANTS FOR MANAGEMENT END-OF-LIFE PLASTIC The Seinäjoki tango SITA UK signed a contract with Cynar Plc, a company specialised in new conversion technologies, to build ten festival signed a three- plants responsible for converting end-of-life plastic into combustible diesel fuel. In total, they will treat year agreement with 60,000 tons of mixed plastic waste a year. The first plant is slated to fire up at the end of 2011 in London. SITA Finland for its Blue Orange, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s corporate investment fund, will be involved in financing the project. new tidy event service. Waste management begins before the festival, with the logistics of placing containers. The result is a 60% decrease in waste over the first year.

GERMANY/BENELUX SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SPELLED OUT To better inform customers and partners, SITA has published its 2009 sustainable development reports in the Netherlands and, for the first time in Germany and Belgium. © PAUL BOX © PAUL

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AGBAR is launching a takeover bid on the company Aigües de World Sabadell SA (CASSA). If it is approved, AGBAR, which already owns 11.2% of CASSA’s capital will hold the remaining 68%. 20% belongs to the municipality of Sabadell (in the province of Barcelona). © SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT/THIERRY DUVIVIER/TRILOGIC NEWS /

FRANCE FRANCE WATER SAVINGS IN THE HAUTE MARNE THANKS FROM WEEE! Lyonnaise des Eaux signed a public service drinking water In September, SITA France management contract with the founded the company city of Saint-Dizier (Haute Marne). SITA DEEE, which The goal is to reduce water loss on the network by 50% in a four- operates a 100% year time period, notably thanks industrial deconstruction to 180 leak detectors. and recycling process for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The goal is to © DENISBOURGES©TENDANCEFLOUE meet the needs of a FRANCE booming market(1). Since A SECOND LIFE FOR July 2009, the Feyzin PACKAGED BIO-WASTE (Rhône Alpes) site has already been able to Until now, bio-waste (representing nearly 80% of the waste recycle and recover produced by the food industry) could only be recovered if they were not packaged. Now, thanks to Valorest, the first bio- 25,000 tonnes a year. unpackager for packaged bio-waste in France inaugurated by SITA France in September, bio-waste can be separated (1) A new ﬁ eld has developed around the collection and treatment of WEEE since a decree from the packaging. Valorest is located in Strasbourg and will was adopted in 2006. In 2009, the French market treat up to 24,000 tonnes a year: 90% will be transformed into represented more than 5 kilos per inhabitant per year, or more than 350,000 tonnes. substrate for methanisation, and the remaining 10% will be used for energy-from-waste. At the same time, SITA France has been involved with the Banque Alimentaire, a charity, and its 3,000 volunteers, to fight against wasting food. © P. MÉNARD/ÉPEUS COMMUNICATION © P.

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SPAIN AGBAR GUARANTEES SITA POLSKA DRINKING WATER IN Has been established for more than EVERY SEASON 16 years in over AGBAR signed a concession contract for the distribution of drinking water to 20 Polish cities 52,000 inhabitants in Calvia, Majorca. The Spanish subsidiary will also manage the variation in consummation during summer, and treats when the city’s population triples. This 50-year contract represents an accumulated revenue of €980 million. 880,000 tons of waste per year

In order to meet increasing demands, water production capacity in Spain has to increase by 22% in 2015 (in relation to 2001).

FRANCE FRANCE REBUILDING A WASTEWATER TREATMENT THE GROUP JOINS PLANT IN THE PARIS AREA TWO EUROPEAN SUSTAINABLE A group led by Degrémont has signed a contract with the SIAAP, a major DEVELOPMENT INDICES Greater Paris Authority in wastewater management, to rebuild the pre- treatment unit at the Achères wastewater treatment plant. The €230 million In autumn, following ESG contract, €110 million for Degrémont, will modernize the wastewater treatment process for some six million inhabitants. (Environment, Social, Governance) assessment by the rating agency Vigeo, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, FRANCE FRANCE joined the Advanced Sustainable A NEW WATER THREE GLOBAL ® TREATMENT CONTRACT WATER AWARDS Performance Indice Eurozone IN STRASBOURG FOR DEGRÉMONT and the Ethibel Sustainability The Strasbourg Urban Area In 2010, Degrémont won the Indice Excellence Europe®, has awarded the operations Desalination Company of the which are both references for of Strasbourg’s water Year award, along with the treatment plant, the fifth Desalination Contract of the year socially responsible investors. largest water treatment plant for its Melbourne desalination in France with a capacity for plant in Australia (see also the the equivalent of one million article page 26-28), and the inhabitants, to Lyonnaise des Desalination Plant of the Year for Eaux and Degrémont Services. the plant in Barcelona (Spain). This public service delegation contract lasts eight years. © IMAGE SOURCE

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ITALY ALBANIA NUOVE ACQUE CERTIFIED SUCCESS AS A RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYER FOR SAFEGE Nuove Acque received OHSAS 18001 certification for its safety management system. It protects the The Albanian Ministry has named company and the employer by excluding, a priori, SAFEGE the main contractor (studies their responsibilities in case of work accidents. It and supervision) for carrying out rewards efforts made on installations, management sanitation projects. This involves, procedures and management approaches. among other things, designing and preparing bid offers for the sanitation networks of Vlora and Ksamil, revising the design of the Nuove Acque manages water and Kavaja water treatment plant and the sanitation services for 37 municipalities around Arezzo (Tuscany, Italy) grouping Lezha-Shengjin sanitation network. together 350,000 inhabitants. © GDF SUEZ/MEYSSONNIER ANTOINE © GDF SUEZ/MEYSSONNIER NEWS /

PANAMA MOROCCO SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT A TREATMENT PLANT CASABLANCA FIRST EUROPEAN FOR THE BAY GOING MODERN DIVERSITY FORUM SAFEGE and C3E Degrémont is part of a consortium that signed a contract (Water, Environment SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT for the design, construction and operation of a treatment and Energy Council) was the official sponsor of plant with a capacity of 238,000 cubic meters. It will treat signed a contract with the first European Diversity the effluents of a million inhabitants. It is located on the Lydec to update the Forum, which was held seaside and is designed to be integrated into the environment. master plans for the on December 2010. The participants were invited This four-year contract represents an accumulated revenue of city’s drinking water to discuss the issue of €170 million, including €80 million for Degrémont. supply and sewage, prior to building the diversity and how it is taken first tramway line in into account in businesses. Greater Casablanca. Because it is a business driver and a lever for performance, the group is committed to making c it a HR policy priority, POLAND via a social development UP SANITATION program called “EQUAL CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES, WITH THE CITY OF WARSAW SOCIAL CHANGE, AND In December, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT unveiled its equal opportunities, social COMMITMENT” with change, and commitment, which is based on five priorities: SITA Polska signed quantitative objectives • access to employment and integration a contract with the (read UP, opposite) • employment for the over-fifties technical services • Recruitment and careers for women department of the city • Recruitment and assistance for persons with a disability of Warsaw for the • Commitment and quality of life in the workplace upkeep and cleaning of In France, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT created of a Diversity and Social rainwater collectors and Development Department and a structure for disabled persons. anti-noise screens.

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RUSSIA MALTA CONTRACTS FROM THE LARGEST EUROPEAN THE VOLGA TO THE BLACK SEA REMOTE METER-READING MARKET In December, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT signed an Ondeo Systems signed a contract with IBM to provide agreement with the region of Yaroslavl to support its remote meter reading technology for 250,000 water vast drinking water and sanitation infrastructure meters for the inhabitants of Malta. The island is facing a modernisation programme. Already in March 2010, severe scarcity of natural water resources and these meters will enable precise monitoring of water consump- Degrémont signed two contracts to build sludge tion and pinpoint leaks quickly. incineration plants in Rostov-on-Don and in Sochi, the city that will host the 2014 Olympic Games.

AUSTRALIA UNITED STATES SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT THE WORLD’S HIGHEST STRENGTHENS ITS POSITION PERFORMING UV ON THE AUSTRALIAN WASTE DISINFECTION PLANT MARKET Ozonia North America, an American subsidiary of Via its Australian waste Degrémont, signed a contract management subsidiary, with the city of Saint Louis, Missouri, to equip the Lemay SITA Environmental Solutions, plant with a new UV disinfec- SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT acquired tion system. The Ozonia Aquaray® 3X UV system will WSN Environmental Solutions, treat 37,850 cubic meters of waste management services for wastewater an hour as early as 2013, which will make it the the government of New South highest performing UV plant in Wales. The operation amounted the world in terms of was- to €174 million and represents a tewater treatment per hour. veritable lever for growth for the company on the Australian waste market. Finalisation is planned during the first quarter of 2011. © DR

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KEY FROM PLASTIC FIGURES 2009 TO FUEL

SITA UK has signed an exclusive agreement £750 with Cynar Plc, a million annual turnover ﬁ rm focused on new SITA UK is a leading recycling conversion technology, and resource management subsidiary of SUEZ to build Britain’s ﬁ rst 9 M fully operational plants ENVIRONNEMENT in Britain. It operates over Over 9 million tonnes of waste handled to convert end of life 300 locations throughout the UK and employs more plastic into diesel fuel.

than 5,500 people. It works with businesses and BOX © PAUL 1 M The objective is to build Over 1 million MWh of local authorities and delivers recycling and waste electricity generated 10 UK plants dealing with DAVID PALMER-JONES / CEO 85,000 60,000 tonnes of mixed management services to 12 million people and over from landfill and energy- Over 85,000 tonnes of compost 40,000 business customers. from-waste facilities plastic waste per year “The UK waste industry is produced and to commission the Its goal is to help minimize the impact of its client’s undergoing a transformation, enough to power approximately 215,000 homes fi rst plant in London by waste on the environment, ensuring that most waste driven by strong political will and end 2011. is treated and returned as a secondary resource or new environmental regulation. 5,500 recovered as energy. Its facilities include household We see costs rising fast through the introduction of higher landfi ll More than 5,500 employees waste recycling centres, transfer stations, landfi lls, taxes alongside ambitious targets together with energy-from-waste, material recycling, to divert waste from landfi ll. These 2 composting and security shredding facilities. changes depend on carefully million tonnes of waste recycled managing this transition from and recovered GIVING WASTE A ‘SECOND LIFE’ landfi ll by investing in new waste SITA UK’s business strategy draws on the concept treatment infrastructure to serve the new demands of the market. of the circular economy, supported by SUEZ The recent success in the award of ENVIRONNEMENT. In this model, waste management 25 year PFI projects for the County of services are linked with the cycle of production and Suffolk and the Councils in the South consumption, as waste is recognised and utilised Tyne & Wear area demonstrate not 67:G9::C as a secondary resource in the manufacture of new only new commercial effi ciency but products – giving waste a ‘second life’. are part of our overall transition to In order to maximise the value of the waste collected, the new market.” 9JC9::

SITA UK re-engineered its services as a manufacturing C7JG<= approach recognises that all waste is a raw material for the products or energy we produce and can be used 8DA:G6>C: ADC9DC9:GGN 86GA>HA: C:L86HIA: as part of the manufacture of new products, helping JEDCINC: to link the waste industry with the economic activities 7:A;6HI B>99A:H7GDJ<= of the UK to create a circular economy. We can only >HA:D;B6C operate effectively in the circular economy if markets A::9H =JAA can be found for the products we create. Maintaining EG:HIDC B6C8=:HI:G product quality is vital and, therefore, at the centre of A>K:GEDDA H=:;;>:A9 SITA UK’s business strategy. FACILITIES LOCATION MAP CDII>C<=6B CDGL>8=

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8DK:CIGN CDGI=6BEIDC >EHL>8= AJIDC HL6CH:6 HL>C9DC 86G9>;; Local authorities disposal facilities ADC9DC 7G>HIDA Sorting, recycling 7G><=IDC Composting HDJI=6BEIDC Energy-from-waste EANBDJI= Landfill

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KUSHA SRIVASTAVA / HR GENERALIST AT DEGRÉMONT INDIA “DEGRÉMONT PROVIDES A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD TO BOTH MEN AND WOMEN AND MY CAREER GROWTH IN DEGRÉMONT TRULY REFLECTS THE SAME.”

WHEN ASKED ABOUT HER JOURNEY and her mission as Assistant Manager HR in Degrémont India, Kusha Srivastava answers that the role of human resources within a business can be compared to the role of lubricant in a car: “At fi rst sight, it does not seem to be the main component. But it is absolutely vital to prevent friction and enable the vehicle to run smoothly”. Recruited in 2003 as Front Office Executive and after working for a year on this position, Kusha fl agged off her COMPANY PORTRAIT journey of dreams with an enrollment for a master’s degree in Degrémont has been operating in India HRM and was given an opportunity which kick started her new since 1978. The 160 installations built over this period supply 16 millions profi le in the year 2005. “My fi rst mission was to ensure that people with drinking water and provide 5.35 million people with wastewater the right people were taken at the right place at the right time. treatment services. The market situation was very competitive and challenging because the company was facing a high level of attrition. We had to ensure that the necessary steps were being taken to retain our talents”. 2008 was very special for her as she took up the role of “HR Coordinator” explains Kusha Srivastava. “My main responsibility was to manage internal employees, external customers as well as shareholders and to handle matters so the HR function smoothly.” Today, her position covers a range of functions, from recruitment to employee motivation, organization and performance management. Kusha considers herself to be particularly fortunate because her managers “have always been very open” to her ideas. For her, Degrémont is one of the few companies in India that promotes diversifi cation amongst employees. Indeed, it does not only employ and integrate women, but also recognizes the different way they work. “In Degrémont India, I fi rmly believe that men and women are equal in terms of rights and responsibilities. It provides a level playing fi eld to both men and women and my career growth in Degrémont truly refl ects the same”. Recruited for the right position, women are able to bring value to the company with their skills and interactive style of management. Last but not the least she expresses “My journey from Front Offi ce Executive to Assistant Manager HR has a lot of signifi cance in my life”. © DR

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GREEN ENERGY

RELEASING THE POTENTIAL OF BIOGAS

“GDF SUEZ AND SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON A PROJECT BIOGAZ comes from the fermentation of organic matter of ani- mal or plant origin. It is primarily made up of methane, a green- TO PRODUCE A GAS FROM SEWERAGE house gas that SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is required to collect in SLUDGE.” its storage installations and treatment plants. Yet, biogas also has a precious virtue, that of producing heat or electricity without fossil-fuel CO emissions. “With the increase in energy costs, this 2 (2) (3) stream is experiencing a real boom,” explains Jean-Marc Audic, institutions such as the INRA and the CEMEACREF to develop head of material and energy recovery at CIRSEE(1). “GDF SUEZ is a tool to estimate the methanisation potential of waste and to all the more interested in it because it wants renewable energy to maximize quantities produced. play a large role in its production mix.” Another project, Battery-Water-Biogas, is being developed This is why SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is envisioning energy- jointly with GDF-SUEZ. The challenge is to demonstrate the effi - from-waste solutions using the sludge from wastewater treat- ciency of a combustible battery process using biogas to produce ment and even from the fermentable part of household waste, electricity. “All these initiatives will benefi t operational units, which both of which are abundant on the company’s operational sites will be able to choose the best option to recover the biogas, based and potential generators of biogas. “The idea is to contribute to on their resources and limitations and user needs,” foresees the energy self-suffi ciency of our treatment plants, but also to Jean-Marc Audic. supply nearby industries with electricity or heat.” (1) International Water and Environment Research Centre (SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT). Biogas production and recovery procedures still need optimi- (2) French National Agronomics Research Centre. sation. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is working in partnership with (3) Engineering research institute for agriculture and the environment. © GDF SUEZ/HAUTEMANIERE NOEL

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THE VICTORIAN DESALINATION PROJECT GIVING AUSTRALIA A SECURE SOURCE OF WATER

PETER SAMMUT / GENERAL MANAGER CAPITAL PROJECTS DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT OF VICTORIA (AUSTRALIA) Peter Sammut reviews the main beneﬁ ts of the public and private

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What are the benefi ts of the public and private sectors working together in this way? The Victorian Government’s Partnerships Victoria policy, which governs PPPs, focuses on whole-of-life costing, encouraging innovation, specifying outputs rather than inputs and full consideration of project risks, with optimal risk allocation between the public and private sectors. We look for effective risk transfer, whole of life effi ciencies, improvements in asset and service quality, design innovation, timely delivery and operational fl exibility. There is also a clear approach to value for money assessment through the preparation of a Public Sector Comparator (the estimated cost to the Government of delivering the project itself) and the public interest is protected by a public interest test, and the retention of “core” public services. Constructing the Victorian Desalination Project this way has ensured the best deal for Victorian

01_01 © DR water consumers. In fact, it has been calculated 02_ that there will be a saving of $AUD1 billion to water users over the life of the contract by captu- ring private sector innovation, effi ciency and risk perspectives. The general public has benefi ted from the investment in the project by superannuation funds. Local How can a Public Private Partnership (PPP) suppliers have also benefi ted from almost 75% of make it possible to quickly and effectively the $AUD1.6 billion of supply contracts by Aqua- meet a municipality’s needs to improve water Sure(1) to date, going to Australian companies. management? For the past 13 years, the state of Victoria, with a How did the bid made by Degrémont and its population now at four million and growing rapidly, partners stand out? has experienced below average rainfall. In 2006, For the Victorian Desalination Project, the project © DR Melbourne’s catchments had their lowest infl ows objectives related to time for water delivery, scope of 02_The Thiess Degrémont Joint in 100 years and storage levels fell to just 25.6 per project, value for money, environmental protection Venture was contracted in July 2009 (2) to design and build the desalination cent. Something needed to be done quickly to and social benefi ts . plant located in Wonthaggi, secure the city’s water supplies for the future. The main features of the project are : 130 kilometres south-east The Victorian Government released a Water - state of the art proven technology and high of Melbourne. 01_The plant will have a production Plan in 2007. Its objective is to move away from energy efficiency membranes and equipment, capacity of 444’000 m³ per day, relying on water from reservoirs to a portfolio of producing high quality desalinated water, with a expandable to 592’000 m³ diverse water sources and conservation measures. solution that provided certainty for the delivery of per day. A 84 km (52 miles) long underground pipeline will carry The Victorian Desalination Project is a key part of water by the end of 2011; desalinated water to Melbourne. that plan, giving the state a secure source of water - world class architecture and landscaping, inte- that does not rely on rain. grating the plant into the coastal environment; There has been considerable research conduc- - landmark financing secured in some of the ted on which method is likely to result in the earliest toughest market conditions ever seen; completion. Not surprisingly, PPPs are more likely - high levels of goods and services supplied by to be delivered earlier when compared to traditio- Australian businesses; nal Government procurement methods. The com- - a low cost, reliable underground power solution mercial incentives are far greater in PPPs, of course, which could be constructed within the required which drives this outcome. Water agencies in need timeframe; of rapid project delivery and certainly in terms of - and a 30 year, fi xed price electricity and renewa- long term project costs, should seriously consider ble energy solution, with two new wind farms of PPPs to help them deliver on their needs. 63 MW and 420 MW. w

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A FEW WORDS FROM / YVONNE VON HARTEL, DIRECTOR PECKVONHARTEL AND ARM PTYLTD. ARCHITECTS Where do things now stand in What type of constraints/ terms of the work? beneﬁ ts are associated with Work is well advanced on this type of “sustainable” 01_94’000 m³ of concrete and 5’600 tons of main site and all buildings have project? structural steel will be used to complete the plant. taken form. The scale and The sustainability elements 02_The workforce of more than 2’000 staff, will size of the Reverse Osmosis of the desalination plant and generate an expected 6 million hours of work to Building is impressive; precast site design provide a number complete the projects. concrete wall cladding has of benefits. The whole site is been supplied to the principal degraded farmland. buildings on site and the The majority of the site will colour and textures used to be replanted with indigenous articulate the separate building species providing coastal components are effective in parkland available for the linking the buildings back to the public’s enjoyment. A large landscape and dune formation. number of new plants will be Earth works allow discreet generated from local seed views to buildings as planned collection and will increase and the visual effect of entering the variety and number of the site through a planned indigenous plantings. route through the dunes has Energy saving measures taken form. associated with the selection of building materials and their placement are significant due to the scale of the desalination plant. Storm water collection allows water reuse to water the new plant material and encourages plant growth.

What is the story behind this building with its speciﬁ c design? The desalination plant concept design is based on three principles: the design © DR

01_ 02_ © DR intents to make the plant effectively invisible from any w The PPP launched in Melbourne was the Many investors are now more actively looking public viewpoint, the creation biggest of its kind worldwide. As for you, at the Australian market and current or upcoming of a “green line” to integrate is it to become a textbook example of good projects, with a view to further participation. the design of buildings PPP project management? What are the main However there are many more innovative with landscape and the lessons you have learned from this project? aspects of the Victorian Desalination Project that reinstatement of the coastal We have been fortunate to have had many have been of very high interest to other infrastruc- dune system that has been successes to date, in what have been extremely ture deliverers in Australia and internationally, as eroded away by historical use diffi cult circumstances and the project has also they come to visit us or as we meet at conferences of the land. The integration received 14 awards so far. where we share some of our experiences. of landscape and buildings is We are very proud of the successes that the pro- The ongoing success of PPPs is also founded in achieved through the form of ject has had to date, but such successes are team the strength of the partnership and the ability of the dunes that guide the visitor efforts. With our partners AquaSure and its spon- the key parties to work together in the delivery of from the entry to the site to sors SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT/Degrémont, the project. Amazing progress has been made in the plant entry and beyond. Thiess and Macquarie Capital, as well as all of its little over a year by AquaSure. We look forward to Buildings are contained within investors, we have been able to achieve what very continued great progress. the “green line” (which is few others were able to, particularly during the glo- reminiscent of earth mounding bal fi nancial crisis. and prehistoric earth paintings). The debt syndication process and the temporary The built form within the “green Victorian Government support for this proved to line” has either a growing (1) AquaSure is a consortium set up in 2007 by Degrémont, be a great initiative. It was completed less than Thiess, an Australian mining and construction company, and planted green roof or a planted Macquarie Capital Group, an international provider of banking, green earth plane. three months out of an allowable 3 year period, fi nancial, advisory, investment and funds management services. and was 50% oversubscribed. (2) The project summary is available at: www.partnership.vic.gov.au

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“MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT SEWAGE NETWORKS AND HOW IT WORKS” ÉLODIE CLENET / SANITATION TECHNICIAN, LYONNAISE DES EAUX, FRANCE

ÉLODIE CLENET is “proud of her job!” She loves explaining what she does to people she knows. “Most people do not know the network and how it works. I like to counter this lack of knowledge with a positive image of what I do at Lyonnaise des Eaux. For a long time, I have been keen on environmental protection, which is what is at stake with sanitation.” Élodie Clenet joined Lyonnaise des Eaux right after getting her degree in water treatment. First she was a water treatment plant operator for three years, and then in 2006 she became a sanitation technician in the sanitation studies and quality department at the regional centre in the Yvelines. This department provides, among other things, network technical support for customers, which are municipalities or groups of municipalities. Élodie Clenet does a number of things in the fi eld: “Using a pole camera, we fi lm inside the network to know what state it is in and repair any anomalies. This allows us to provide a pre-diagnosis for CCTV inspections (ITV), or, in other words, to precisely detect the nature and place where the network is altered. When we can check the mains, then we opt for less-expensive walking tours.” Today Élodie jokes about her apprehension the fi rst time she went into a meter and half high pipe. “That is the minimum height we are likely to encounter, and I have to admit that it was strange the fi rst time around.” Her job is not limited to working on sewage networks. And that is what she likes about it: it is comprehensive, getting her in the fi eld and in the offi ce. “We do automatic monitoring of some networks. In other words, we ensure the maintenance of fl ow measuring captors. We gather the data and analyse it. We also interpret ITV and make recommendations to reha- bilitate networks when that is necessary.” Some time ago, Élodie Clenet added another skill to her portfolio, by presenting the reports and recommendations to customers herself. “I hope to get more responsibilities and, in the long run, manage a team, staying in the sanitation sector.”

Lyonnaise des Eaux’s Regional Centre in the Yvelines, established right on the Seine River since 1924, has 270 employees. It distributes drinking water to 1.5 million inhabitants and treats wastewater from the 506,000 people living west of Paris. © DR

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“Innovation is the successful use of an idea that creates value for customers and a sales return for the creator.” – Cris Beswick © THIERRY DUVIVIER/TRILOGIC

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INNOVATING TTOO ACCELERATEACCELERATE DDEVELOPMENTEVELOPMENT

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BERNARD GUIRKINGER / EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT IN CHARGE OF WATER BUSINESS COORDINATION, R&I, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS

INNOVATION IN THE IMPERATIVE TENSE IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT, INNOVATION BECOMES A KEY FACTOR FOR A COMPANY’S GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT INTENDS TO MAKE IT A KEY LEVER FOR DEVELOPMENT TO SERVE ITS CUSTOMERS.

the case of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT. The group has stood out, among others, with the IN FIGURES launch of advanced ﬁ ltering membranes for SPOTLIGHT drinking water (1988) later used in sanitation, ON R&I by DNA-chips to assess sanitary risks (1998), and by PET bottle food-grade recycling (2009). Yet, to subsist, innovation also has to reach A budget out beyond the green meadows of research and express itself at all levels of the business. Be it in € the form of new business models (such as the of 65

© SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT/P. E. RASTOIN © SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT/P. management contract in Algiers), knowledge transfer, maximising innovation internally million Recycled PET pellets produced from used plastic bottles by France or ﬁ nding new ways to fund projects. “Since Plastiques Recyclages, a subsidiary 2009, the group has launched a much more in 2009 of SITA France. proactive innovation policy than in the past, and one that covers a broader scope,” explains w A team of 400 researchers, Bernard Guirkinger, Executive Vice President technicians and experts HOW SYMBOLIC: China, the “world’s of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT. “Beyond w Over 65 research workshop”, is catching up in terms of R&D the technical R&I aspects, we are innovating programs led expenditure. In 2008, it was already spending in terms of the relationships we have with our simultaneously 1.43% of its GDP, right behind the European customers. In 2009, Degrémont won a contract w 17 centres of expertise Union (1.74%), although still far behind the for the largest desalination plant in the southern and research and more United States (2.62%) and Japan (3.33%)(1). hemisphere(2), in part thanks to very innovative than 200 laboratories This race for innovation among countries can funding and governance models, completely w Around 2,000 domestic also be found in businesses: creating compe- in tune with its customer expectations. In patents filed in over titive advantages and boosting the operatio- November 2010, we launched Blue Orange, 70 countries nal excellence of teams are, more than ever, an innovation investment fund that aims to sup- w Nearly 120 research needed to strengthen a company’s legitimacy port promising innovative technology start-ups” partners around the world and image, allowing it to stay ahead of the (read Eyewitness, pp. 26-28). competition. Paradoxically, the 2008 ﬁ nancial crisis acce- In this context, it is imperative to have a lerated innovation. “After maintaining our well-established culture of innovation. This is investments in research, development and

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“OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO ACCELERATE THE TRANSFORMATION OF INNOVATIONS INTO REAL SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE VALUE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS” © GOVIN SOREL © GOVIN innovation at around €65 million in 2008 and 2009, we decided to accelerate our efforts in 2010,” emphasises Bernard Guirkinger. “Our businesses are key to current challenges, pushed by demographic growth, urbanisation, scarcer fossil resources and by the double challenge of climate change and preserving ecosystems.”

FROM LAB TO OPERATIONS Levallois-Perret water recreation centre (France), beneﬁ ting from In 2008, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT created ®

© THIERRY DUVIVIER/TRILOGIC the Degrés Bleus service. an Innovation Department. The goal is to structure its efforts in this area and to lead innovation in order to support the group’s growth. Concre- tely, this means, for example, the development of a number of water and waste projects. So, Lyonnaise des Eaux launched Degrés Bleus®, an innovative technique to recover heat from wastewater. Levallois-Perret (hauts-de-Seine, France) is the first municipality to benefit from this service, for its water recreation centre. There, Degrés Bleus® is reducing energy consumption by 24% and greenhouse gas emissions by 66% to maintain the temperatures of the pools. In Great Britain, SITA UK partnered with Cynar on a project aiming to give end-of-life plastics another life by transforming it into diesel, which limits the amount of waste going to the landﬁ ll. “If we want our R&I and our innovations to give us a real competitive advantage, we have

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In Croissy (Yvelines, France), a Membrane Platform mobilises experts from the CIRSEE “DURING to focus on producing a tool that measures the operational longevity of membranes. THE CRISIS, When it comes to drinking water, today’s THE GROUP electronics make it possible to pinpoint leaks effectively, to manage piping with non-des- LAUNCHED tructive tests and to optimise water resource management. A MUCH MORE Finally, after perfecting energy self-suffi- PROACTIVE cient treatment plants such as the one in As Samra, Jordan, energy-positive plants are the INNOVATION POLICY.” next frontier: the carbon found in wastewater is already recovered as gas or calories. Tomor- row, nitrogen and phosphorus, which are also found in wastewater, will be reused as fertili- zer for farming. Further down the line, algae could amplify the production of organic matter in a plant, increasing its capacity to produce energy. “As decision makers and citizens become more aware of the need to fully embrace sus-

Chemical contact bench unit to tainable development, this will, in the future, assess membrane material ageing directly impact our growth,” says Bernard Guir- under various chemical exposures. kinger. “First, in terms of energies, with savings and limiting greenhouse gas emissions; then, in terms of natural resources, with the need to recycle and recover materials such as plastics, tyres, metals, paper, rare metals, etc., to control water consumption and to identify new resour- © THIERRY DUVIVIER/TRILOGIC ces (water transfers(5), seawater desalination, wastewater reuse, and resource recovery from w waste). Finally, in terms of governance, we as possible into our operational units, which is have to increase our dialogue with stakeholders still a challenge,” Bernard Guirkinger says. “To in order to build together a broad consensus facilitate this movement, we are boosting our around our projects.” operational marketing so that after the R&D What is at stake is SUEZ ENVIRONNE- phase, we can provide sales with a real ‘marke- MENT’s capacity to provide innovative solu- ting package’. This project, called ‘Innovation tions to meet the challenges of future cities. for Business’, is led by the marketing, water projects and innovation departments, and is (1) Source OECD, 2008. © GOVIN SOREL © GOVIN carried out in connection with the business (2) The plant, which has a treatment capacity of 450,000 cubic units. This is how we maximize the value of meters a day, should cover nearly a third of Melbourne’s water needs by the end of 2011. This contract represents a total innovation.” overall revenue of €1.2 billion. In addition to its Innovation Department, (3) International Centre for Research on Water and the Environment, in Le Pecq, France. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT can also count (4) Research community assembled by SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, on other internal structures, such as the some of its water subsidiaries (Lyonnaise des Eaux, United (3) Water, AGBAR), and Northumbrian Water, in order to deﬁ ne, CIRSEE , and on 120 external partners. Joint ﬁ nance and carry out ambitious research programs together. water and waste R&I programs are developing, (5) SAFEGE expertise which, for example in Algeria, helps authorities to supply the major urban areas in the northern part pro-longing applied research programs in each of the country from underground supplies found in the south. subsidiary and in the R+i Alliance(4).

MEETING NEW DEMANDS IN OUR BUSINESS LINES In 2008, prospective discussions began on the group level, in particular linked to the water business. This “Vision 2015” assessed customer needs and the shape of the water market mid-term, in order to structure the R&I policy and deﬁ ne four key priorities that took form in

product policy: membranes, asset management, Find out more: smart metering and energy positive treatment w www.suez-environnement.com>Research & Innovation plants. w www.ri-alliance.com

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ADRIEN HENRY JEAN-FRANÇOIS CAILLARD MANAGING DIRECTOR VICE PRESIDENT INNOVATION OF BLUE ORANGE SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT © GOVIN SOREL © GOVIN

TURNING INNOVATION INTO INDUSTRIAL ASSETS JEAN-FRANÇOIS CAILLARD, WHO HAS BEEN VICE PRESIDENT © GOVIN SOREL © GOVIN OF INNOVATION FOR SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT SINCE JULY 2010, SHARES THE SAME AMBITIONS AS ADRIEN HENRY, MANAGING Then, we need to optimise how we are going to use R&I-led projects in the ﬁ eld, using real DIRECTOR OF BLUE ORANGE, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’S INNOVATION group-wide project management. Finally, INVESTMENT FUND: TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT will gain from INNOVATION A MAJOR SOURCE OF GROWTH WITH THE LOWEST learning to work with start-ups in its busi- POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. ness lines, as they are an incredible source of innovations.

Today, open innovation, as a method, is all the How can we promote innovation even more rage. What is it? within SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT? Jean-François Caillard : The American Jean-François Caillard : SUEZ ENVIRON- academic Henry Chesbrough theorised this NEMENT is lucky to have subsidiaries that are approach. He observed how over a few years in leading remarkable innovations in their areas of the United States, there was a shift from inno- expertise. As a result, the primary objective of vations coming out of telecom laboratories and the group’s Innovation Department is to help emblematic ﬁ rms such as Xerox, HP and Lucent all of these entities develop even more inno- to a more proactive innovation stemming from vations, notably by sharing their best practices the collaboration between start-ups and major ation with other subsidiaries that could potentially R&I laboratories that are part of groups such as use them. Cisco, Intel and Qualcomm. w

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w With open innovation, we work closely with an ecosystem of partners (start-ups, universities, industrial entities, customers), which requires patience, an ability to listen and investment. Adrien Henry : In order for this transition to a more open form of innovation to be successful, you have to learn not to control everything from beginning to end. By contributing to the development of new promising businesses via Blue Orange, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has chosen to give up complete control, at least at the beginning, over each of the steps leading to real innovative market solutions. This approach requires fl exibility and a certain speed of exe- cution once the project is somewhat advanced into order to harvest real benefi ts as quickly as possible. I fi nd that the choice of taking such a risk is real proof of openness and fl exibility for a group that is leading its sector. Jean-François Caillard : Other tools are being deployed to promote innovation, particularly internally: the employee Innovation Trophies are a fantastic tool for detecting and encouraging innovation, and are also used by GDF SUEZ. The same goes for Innovation Day, held during the SUEZ ENVIRONNE- MENT worldwide business conference, the group’s major internal meeting. And we should mention Invent, the internal newsletter that © GOVIN SOREL © GOVIN SOREL © GOVIN focuses entirely on innovation, disseminating information about the very latest initiatives in this area. What, are the objectives of this innovation policy? “IT IS TIME What motivated the creation of Blue Orange? Jean-François Caillard : You often hear that Adrien Henry : The markets linked to water R&I transforms money into knowledge and that FOR A NEW and waste management cycles are both mature innovation transforms knowledge into money. and evolving, with a three-fold constraint rela- That is, of course, my team’s goal. An innova- ECONOMIC ted to increased environmental awareness tion is only an innovation if it meets with suc- of the general public, stricter domestic and cess in the fi eld, be it a commercial success or a MODEL international regulations in the sector, and a successful utilisation for its target. Beyond that, structural increase in the cost of raw materials the three innovation objectives are: increasing THAT USES FEWER and energy. productivity, differentiation and team and RESOURCES AND SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT customer expertise leadership, along with the develop- demands are changing and the need for solu- ment of new business lines in order to make LESS ENERGY.” tions is taking form in programs and funda- them tomorrow’s industrial assets. mental research results, such as for the energy- positive treatment plant or biogas production In this context, is clean tech a relay for future and recovery, but also in the creation of a large growth? number of start-ups enthusiastically looking for Jean-François Caillard : Obviously. Natural solutions to these challenges. resources—water, energy, raw materials—will SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, a worldwide become more and more scarce. Technologi- leader in the sector, is curious about these ini- cal advances are one of the ways to respond tiatives and intends to support them to bring to to this issue. And, even though new energies the forefront innovative industrial solutions that are not directly our operational area(1), a lot of meet customer demands. innovations in water, for example (less energy- consuming water production and treatment plants, desalination techniques, and less costly water treatment plants, etc.), should help improve things.

(1) But remain covered by that of GDF SUEZ.

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REMOTE GAS METER READING SOLUTIONS WITH ONDEO SYSTEMS Ondeo Systems, a subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT and Lyonnaise des Eaux, recognized for its water-related innovations(1) was chosen with other competitors to experiment with the first GrDF(2) communicating meters in 2010-2011. The meters are equipped with a networked remote reading solution and offer multiple advantages. They facilitate remote meter reading, because the customer does not need to be present, can provide more accurate readings more frequently, and finally enable customers to control their consumption better. The solution deployed by Ondeo Systems is based on long- © SEAN JUSTICE/CORBIS SEAN © distance VHF radio technology, which reduces the amount of intermediary equipment needed for remote data collection. The benefits include reduced installation, maintenance and ownership costs, along with recognized performance(3).

(1) In Malta, IBM choose the Ondeo Systems solution to read all the water meters in the BLUE ORANGE country, which represents around 250,000 meters. (2) Gaz Réseau Distribution France (GrDF) is an independent subsidiary of the GDF SUEZ group. A GREEN LIGHT FOR (3) Once GrDF launches the project, the chosen solution should be developed starting in START-UPS 2011 and be deployed generally starting in 2014-2015. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT launched its innovation investment fund Blue Orange in November 2010 to support the commercial and industrial development of promising start-ups with technological innovations, primarily in the area of water and waste management. With a budget of €50 million, Blue Orange identified or received the projects of tens of start-ups. With an initial potential Blue Orange participation of €500,000 to €2 million, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is thrust into the industrial starting and deployment phases. For example, in the United Kingdom, Blue Orange is contributing to funding a project for which SITA UK has partnered with Cynar to launch an operation transforming end-of-life plastics into diesel fuel.

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IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR! Glenn (50 years old) is the oldest of three brothers working for SITA UK. With 27 years of continuous service, he is currently a supervisor at the St Erth waste transfer station in Cornwall. His brothers and his son have also followed in his footsteps. Employed by SITA UK for the past 18 years, Quinton (47), one of his two brothers, is a compactor driver at the United Mines landfi ll near Redruth, a small town in Cornwall. Glenn and Quinton work alongside their other brother, Ian (who at 46 is the youngest) who has been loyally serving SITA UK for the past 17 years. Promoted to assistant manager of the United Mines landfi ll site, his mission is to oversee the restoration and landscaping of the landfi ll site, which used to process 300,000 tonnes of waste per year with more than 150 trucks each day. Ian does not have any time to get bored. Neither does Nathan (31), Glenn’s son, who has been with SITA UK since the age of 16 and works at a household waste recycling centre. With the four of them having a combined total of 77 years working with the company, the Mitchell brothers are in a position to gauge how far we have come. In 20 years, working methods and processing techniques have changed considerably. “There have been some massive investments and major changes”, says Quinton. “The progress made on health and A FAMILY BUSINESS / SITA UK safety has improved our working conditions a great deal”, explains Ian. “And our staff is far better trained”, adds Glenn. “COME WIND OR SNOW, Three brothers, one son…In addition to their family ties, what do these men have in common? Pride in collecting and WE ENJOY OUR JOBS EACH DAY!” recycling household waste each day, contributing towards people’s well-being, and while they may not be able to afford the “Crown Jewels”, as one of them jokes, they all enjoy their jobs. Once a year, the whole family meets up at their aunt’s house, just next to the United Mines site! And what do you think they talk about with a pint in hand?

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AGBAR

INJECTING ICE TO CLEAN PIPES: A TECHNIQUE OF THE FUTURE

ANY NUMBER OF PHENOMENA, INCLUDING BIOLOGIC The International Water Association was right. It just rewarded DEPOSITS, SEDIMENT ACCUMULATION IN PIPES, and the process with the world innovation prize. The success is also a more, can affect fl ow rates in water distribution networks, the commercial one: 100 km have been cleaned this way in England organoleptic quality(1) of water and even its colour. Furthermore, since the end of 2009, and AGBAR Environment Limited, the British classic cleaning methods have their limitations. Introducing subsidiary of AGBAR that holds the worldwide operating license mechanical pipe cleaners requires long service interruptions, for this process, is preparing to sign an agreement in Japan. not to mention the risk of obstruction. Other techniques that “In the end, the ease of use and limited environmental impact consist of water fl ow variations and air injection primarily just of ice injection could lead to a shift from a curative approach to displace the sediment. a preventive approach in network cleaning.” This explains the interest raised by an ice injection method (1) This covers all the sensorial characteristics of water, including its visual aspect, its developed at the University of Bristol (United Kingdom). “At fi rst, taste and its smell. its application was limited to the food industry,” explains Dominique Demessence, Director of Development at AGBAR, a Find out more: subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT. “But the contact between w www.agbar.es the inventors and our Bristol Water subsidiary enabled us to adapt the technology to the constraints of our business.” There are many advantages to using ice. First, an ice slurry or “ice pig” is injected into the pipes using existing fi ttings (fi re hydrant, for example) to form a coherent block that will clean the walls. The block of ice exerts a perpendicular pressure that is “ICE INJECTION COULD RESOLVE DIFFICULT much greater than that of water, ensuring more effi cient “swee- ISSUES SUCH AS THE OBSTRUCTION OF ping” and absorbing the sediments that are freed up. Finally, by NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WATER MAINS BY adding chloride to the ice, you do not need to disinfect prior to returning to service. ZEBRA MUSSELS.” © BIWA/CORBIS

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RHODANOS

BETTER WATER BODY MANAGEMENT

IT IS ONE OF THE KEY MEASURES of the European Water SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has also established a modelling tool Framework Directive. In 2015, all water basins should be the to anticipate the fl ow of pollutants into discharge when it rains. object of a management plan aimed at reaching good chemical “These advances will be useful to document water body mana- and ecological conditions for bodies of surface water. gement choices and related investments,” says Pascal To anticipate this objective, in 2006, the Axelera Chemical- Dauthuille. Environment business cluster in the Rhône-Alpes region of Another fl agship action is SOQER (Rhône river water quality France, initiated the Rhodanos project. Some 25 partners observation station), which developed a high tech platform that —industrials such as Arkema and Rhodia, but also SMEs and uses a collection of immerged captors to enable the continuous public laboratories— have rolled out a total of 15 initiatives. Their analysis of aquatic toxicity. “In the future, this product could be fi nal goal is to develop innovative procedures and products to installed upstream and downstream of our treatment plants. It control the consequences of liquid discharge into the environ- will give SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT the possibility of delivering a ment and to build real-time management of water body condi- diagnostic and/or consulting service and strengthen its legiti- tions in natural surroundings. macy as a player in preserving natural environments.” “By steering Rhodanos, we have contributed to a pioneering (1) French National Centre for Scientifi c Research, initiative in the area of environmental acceptability of industrial one of the main research institutions in the country. and urban activities,” says Pascal Dauthuille, who runs the SUEZ (2) French research institution specialised in environmental sciences and technology. ENVIRONNEMENT CIRSEE Sanitation and Environment unit. (3) Lyons National Institute of Applied Sciences, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has been working with the CNRS(1) one of France’s major engineering schools. and the CEMAGREF(2) to consolidate the methods used to measure the “priority substances” in residual water (pesticides, hydrocarbons, metals, organic molecules, etc.) that are listed by Find out more: the Directive. In collaboration with the INSA(3) in Lyons, France, w www.cirsee.com

WITH THE AXELERA RHODANOS INNOVATION CLUSTER, THE RHÔNE-ALPES REGION IN FRANCE HAS FOUNDED AN INTERNATIONALLY REPUTED FOCAL POINT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. © GDF SUEZ/MEYSSONNIER ANTOINE © GDF SUEZ/MEYSSONNIER

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WWW. USING WASTE REDUISONSNOSDECHETS.FR At the end of 2010, the Esplanade des Nefs In a few clicks, you can enter in Nantes (France) hosted a surprising a house, a business or a environmental project: the construction of a supermarket and find advice “waste villa”, a house designed by an architect on how you can reduce your and built out of waste collected from the waste production. For example, city. A hundred or so volunteers and a few you will discover how to environmentally aware architects built it in a limit wasting food at home(1), mere 35 days; the building was then opened to thanks to a few simple tips for the public, taken down and made available to smarter food purchasing and a local association in the fields of sustainable conservation. development and the environment.

(1) In France, people produce on average w www.villa-dechets.org/ 20 kg of food waste per year and per person. (1) Designated “European Green Capital” 2013 by the European © ARNAUD FÉVRIER Commission. INTERNATIONAL GREEN INTERNATIONAL WATCHING WATER CONSUMPTION GROWTH AND CONFERENCE ON FUTURE ON YOUR MOBILE ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY What you wear, eat and drink has more or SOLUTIONS EXHIBITION March 25-27, 2011 less of an impact on your water consumption. Feb. 3 – 5, 2011 Sanya, China Waterprint and Virtual Water are two iPhone Cannes, France This international conference © DR apps that allow you to assess your daily The 2011 GETIS exhibition focuses on the environmental consumption. They are available from the will gather major players and energy future of the Apple store and offer a fun way to become in green growth in order to planet. Scientists and other WWW.BREATHINGEARTH.NET more aware of your environmental footprint. promote a new cooperative experts will present basic A map unlike any other: From model among governmental challenges and advances. the instant you connect, you ARTWORK FOR RENT and industrial decision get a real-time indication of the In November, Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg, makers. On the agenda is SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT number of births, deaths and inaugurated the Arthoteque art library in the sustainable development GENERAL ASSEMBLY

CO2 emissions produced in the presence of Jean-Louis Chaussade. Its aim is to for Mediterranean cities May 19, 2011 world, country by country. It is encourage dissemination and valuing artwork and ports. Paris, France fascinating. in Alsace. It enables amateurs, businesses, The General Assembly will be schools, etc. to rent geniune artworks. HYDROGAIA EXHIBITION chaired by Gérard Mestrallet, w www.lartotheque.fr May 25 – 27, 2011 Chairman of the Board, and Montpellier, France by Jean-Louis Chaussade, A PRIZE FOR WATER This exhibition gathers Chief Executive Officer, who On 31 May 2011, the EPE-Metro(1) student national and international will review 2010 and propose competition awards ceremony will be held. players in the water business that shareholders decide on

© DR The award goes to a project that contributes and maritime and coastal strategy directions for 2011. to the best use of water resources (oceans, technologies. It is a real rivers, groundwater, etc.) combined with platform for contacts and economic and environmental performance. discussions on the latest SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is sponsoring the innovations and sustainable contest and will give the winner €5,000. solutions to meet major

(1) French association for environmental businesses in water challenges. partnership with the daily newspaper Metro.

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w RAFAEL MUJERIEGO / WATER EXPERT

GIVING WASTEWATER A NEW LIFE

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into the water business nearly forty years ago! Four decades during which both the approach to, I fell and the management of, this vital resource have changed profoundly, particularly resulting from increasing awareness due to climate change. When I got my doctoral degree in sewage engineering in 1976 from the University of Berkeley, the United States had just adopted one of the fi rst restrictive water laws (the Clean Water Act). California was already facing repeated droughts and had begun implementing measures to reuse wastewater. Countries such as Australia, Israel and Spain would follow suit. Practically speaking, the regeneration of wastewater consists of total or partial treatment to make the water of a quality that enables a new use. A “new water”, that could be drinkable or not, is then made available to farmers, industries or household users. It is also possible to let it infi ltrate or to re-inject it into groundwater so that it goes through a second, natural fi ltering process before being captured by other users. This is more © DR than an alternative, it is an opportunity: producing regenerated Rafael Mujeriego has been drinking-quality water consumes four times less energy than a professor of producing desalinated water. Only 2% of wastewater is currently environmental engineering being reused throughout the world, but this market is growing at the Polytechnic 25% a year, in both the United States and Europe. University of Catalonia In public opinion, the reuse of regenerated water for non- (Barcelona) since 1976. He is a world-renowned drinking purposes is more and more accepted, to the point of water expert who advises becoming a conventional water source for a growing number Spanish and Catalonian of countries. On the other hand, there are obstacles when it water agencies. Starting comes to returning it directly or indirectly to our home faucets. in 1990, he began contributing to several The image of this water remains one linked to “waste” that is European summits on potentially dangerous for the health. Yet, tests such as those led water and has always in Barcelona show positive results: for two years, the Catalonian intervened in favour of capital has a “versatile” installation enabling better control over reusing regenerated the use of the “new water”. In times of shortages, such as the water. In 2010, the American WateReuse one in 2008, the local Aguas de Barcelona operator now has Association named him an additional water source that is much more reliable when it “Personality of the Year”. comes to quality and rate of fl ow than the Llobregat River(1). He is advisor to the With the help of operators such as SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, European office of the World Health Organisation reusing water could prove itself to be a fl exible alternative. In and has also contributed Arizona, China or around Paris, regenerated water has what it to setting up the plan to takes to become a lever for the sustainable management of our safeguard Mediterranean oh-so-dear H O. waters. Rafael Mujeriego 2 is also the author of (1) River in Catalonia that fl ows into the Mediterranean, located right next to Barcelona. several reports on wastewater treatment quality and systems in costal areas. And he is Mr. Mujeriego will chair WateReuse, Barcelona 2011, the 8th International Water a member of SUEZ Organisation Conference on water regeneration and reuse, which will be held in ENVIRONMENT’s Barcelona from 26 to 29 September 2011. Its objective is to review the state of the Foresight Advisory art in scientifi c knowledge, good practices in various regions around the world, Council. and progress made to shift from effi ciency to self-suffi ciency thanks to water reuse. The goal is to consider regenerated water as a reliable source in the uncertain context of climate change.

Worldwide, only 2% of wastewater is currently being reused.

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SEA WATER:LIFE. SOURCE OF

REUSE Degrémont's membrane filtration technology is suitable for the whole range of treated wastewater uses, from agriculture and landscaping to industry and © Les Éditions Stratégiques many others. Already valued by farmers and industries, the clean water produced by this demanding process makes a major contribution to water conservation and environmental protection. DESALINATION Degremont draws its desalination experience from its portfolio of more than 250 reverse osmosis plants around the world. The process removes mineral salts by forcing water to cross a semi-permeable membrane. With the growth in world demand for drinking water - and with 40% of the world's population living within 100 km of the sea - this technology offers a sustainable solution for the supply of potable water.

THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT SPECIALISTS

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