A public meeting was held on Tuesday, September 10, at Hangar 32, on the island of Nantes, about the Ecocentre project. Nantes Métropoles and Samoa presented new commitments to citizens. The Stop Ecocentre collective considers these decisions still insufficient.
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The Ecocentre was supposed to open a year ago, in the fall of 2023. Citizen mobilization postponed the project, first to the spring of 2024, then to the fall of the same year.
This project is three hectares dedicated to recycling debris (earth, rubble, concrete and sand) from construction sites on the island of Nantes. It is also a center that should be active for 12 years near homes, and even a nursery.
The Ecocentre project on the island of Nantes should be operational in January 2025. • © France 3 Pays de la Loire, Lune Hornn
As soon as this project was announced, more than 150 local residents mobilized to form the collective and fight against the establishment of this recycling site almost under their window. They are worried about the risks to their health, the noise pollution and maintain that this type of project is unwelcome near a residential area.
On Tuesday, September 10, the Samoa company and the Nantes metropolitan area organized a public meeting to discuss with local residents. The objective of the meeting was to present the new measures taken to address their concerns.
About sixty citizens attended the meeting, among them Anton Perdoncin, member of the Stop Écocentre collective. He summarizes; “They presented their project in a favorable light. We had the right to express ourselves, but they don’t listen“.
We had the right to express ourselves, but they don’t listen
Anton Perdoncin
Member of the Stop Écocentre collective
At the meeting, Samoa and the city council announced that work would begin in October and that it would be operational as early as next January. For Anton Perdoncin, “It is a very bad decision to install this kind of structure so close to homes, schools and a nursery.” He adds, “We must apply a precautionary principle. There are other solutions“.
What worries the collective and the residents of the neighborhood is the air pollution and fine particles that the center could produce. According to Anton Perdonci, the project was launched without consulting local residents and without an impact study on air quality and the health of residents.“It is considered that this project was hidden from the residents of the neighborhood,” he denounces, “From a democratic point of view, this raises questions”.
The Stop Écocentre collective has been mobilizing for a year against the project led by the city of Nantes and Samoa. • © France 3 Pays de la Loire, Lune Hornn
During the public meeting, the city of Nantes and Samoa reviewed the measures that have been taken since the creation of the citizens’ committee, almost a year ago. This committee brings together elected officials, Samoa and around twenty citizens, including members of the Stop Écocentre collective.
After five meetings of the citizens’ committee, a number of decisions were taken by the city and the public works company: moving the town centre an additional 25 metres away, real-time monitoring of air quality available on Air Pays de la Loirea study on health risks and acoustic impact.
“The first project did not foresee anythingrecalls Anton Perdoncin, Without the collective, there would have been neither a health study nor an acoustic study”.
Without the collective, there would have been neither a health study nor an acoustic study.
Anton Perdoncin
Member of the Ecocentre collective
Anton Perdoncin is worried,“The problem is not the thresholds, it is the reality of the nuisances. For the moment, we are forced to take their word for it. We are waiting to see the reality and we will remain very vigilant.”
“We must salute the mobilization of the members of the citizens’ committee”underlines Mahel Coppey, elected official in charge of the circular economy in Nantes Métropole and representative of Samoa. She adds, “We have clear commitments, now we must keep these commitments and we will give ourselves the means to do so. We will continue to talk with citizens”.
For the elected official, the citizens’ committee will soon enter a new phase. After discussing health and acoustic issues, the Ecocentre will soon be built and operational.
Work on the Ecocentre will begin in mid-October for commissioning in January 2025. • © France 3 Pays de la Loire, Lune Hornn
“We had many interesting proposals from citizens to organize the monitoring of the center during its operation, rejoices Mahel Coppey, We have citizens who want to continue to get involved, that’s great. We are entering a new phase. We will have to work on tools to facilitate dialogue and responsiveness between citizens, elected officials and Samoa.”.
Mahel Coppey also says that a new position will be created in Samoa to handle the center’s citizen mediation.
There are still many things to be co-constructed between residents, elected officials and Samoa so that everyone can find their place. New citizens can still apply to participate in future monitoring committees.
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