The companies Recylex and Retia were ordered to pay SNCF Réseau up to 63.3 million euros for the rehabilitation of the public railway domain in the Estaque sector in Marseille, we learned on Wednesday.
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Restoration work
In 2018, SNCF Réseau seized the administrative court of Marseille to claim compensation of 63.3 million euros from Recylex and Retia, considering that their activity was “at the origin of the pollution affecting the public railway domain on the Estaque site“And demanding”comprehensive reclamation work“. The public company requested in particular the repair of two tunnels located under brownfields belonging to these companies.
In a judgment dated May 26 – unveiled by the local news site Marsactu and consulted by AFP – the court ruled SNCF Réseau “justified in requesting a joint and several judgment against the companies Recylex and Retia (a subsidiary of Total) to be paid to it on a provisional basis»The sum of 5.7 million euros. The two companies will subsequently pay “according to a frequency to be defined by mutual agreement with SNCF Réseau, of the successive payments which will be claimed from them by SNCF Réseau“As and when calls for funds”within the limit of the amount estimated at 63.3 million euros».
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Recylex says he cannot pay
Recylex, a specialist in metal recycling, said in a press release on Wednesday that it would appeal this decision, specifying that “the appeal does not automatically suspend its execution“. The company believes that this judgment “further compromises the debt restructuring process“. This places her “in an even more difficult position“Financially,”threatening jobs and its sustainability“, Warned the chairman of the board of directors, Thomas Hüser, quoted in the press release. Recylex – which employs 70 people at 3 sites in France – indicates that it “does not have credit lines” and “the immediate payment in favor of SNCF Réseau of the initial sum of 5.7 million euros could lead to the cessation of payments by the company».
The company indicates that its financial debt stands at 41 million euros, for cash of 8.4 million euros. She also indicates having “initiated a process of selling the discontinued Estaque site, whose activity has ceased for several years“. SCNF Network, contacted by AFP, declined to comment.
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