Landscaping, renaturation
abandoned spaces

Inert materials are defined in article R541-8 of the French Environment Code.

These are materials that undergo no significant physical, chemical or biological modification. Inert materials do not decompose, burn or produce other physical or chemical reactions. They are not biodegradable and do not deteriorate other materials with which they come into contact in a way likely to cause environmental pollution or harm human health (Council Directive 1999/31/EC of April 26, 1999 – OJEC of July 16, 1999).

It is forbidden to dilute or mix waste for the sole purpose of meeting acceptance criteria (Order of October 28, 2010).

Inert excavated soil belongs to the category of inert materials.

Limiting environmental impact

As part of the ISO 14001 certification, renewed in 2020, ECT, as part of a continuous improvement process, implements measures to limit the environmental impact of its activities.

All ECT sites in operation are ISO 14001 certified.

ISO 14001 certification 

Optimized site meshing.

The sites operated by ECT are of two types to optimize the transport of inert soil.

• A network of small-scale sites capable of receiving a few hundred thousand m3 of materials from local deposits. This network, which is gradually being rolled out throughout the Ile-de-France region, helps to reduce the time spent travelling by lorry, thereby contributing to a better carbon balance by reducing the production of greenhouse gases.
• large-scale sites, such as Villeneuve-sous-Dammartin (77), capable of handling several million m3 of materials, enabling us to respond to the large truck flows required for major earthmoving projects in the Ile-de-France region

We systematically canvass the companies in charge of the work, working with them to develop solutions that limit environmental impacts. choice of host sites and access routes to depot areas, with priority given to trunk roads in order to keep nuisance to a minimum.  residents.

Controlling dust and sludge production

In compliance with regulations on keeping the public highway clean and on dust dispersion, ECT undertakes, on all its development sites  to keep the site and public access roads clean for the duration of the development work. Depending on the size of the worksite, a “roudiluve”, a tank for washing the wheels of heavy goods vehicles, is installed at the site exit.

In dry periods, the runways and areas being backfilled are watered if necessary. The roads leading to the site are regularly cleaned by a sweeper.

Controlling noise pollution

In compliance with article R 48-5 of the French Public Health Code on the prevention of noise pollution, ECT takes all necessary steps to organize the operation of its development sites in order to limit annoying noise emissions, and ensures the regular maintenance of its equipment.

Water protection

Given the inert nature of the materials brought in, the development project poses no risk of pollution to surface and groundwater.
If necessary, a hydraulic study is carried out to direct and regulate runoff.

Find out more about environmental and social quality indicators for ECT projects

The management and reclamation of excavated soil and the non-built development of sites fall within a legal and regulatory framework.

ECT sites are opened within the framework of an administrative authorization: ICPE/ISDI authorization or development permit.

Each project is associated with a regulatory file, studied, drawn up and examined in compliance with the regulations.
Depending on the configuration of the land reuse site, its location, its size, the geology of the subsoil, the future use of the site and the type of authorization under consideration, the applicable regulations may be derived from :

• urban planning code
• and/or environmental code
•  and/or “water law” procedures (IOTA)

Depending on the project, this may require the involvement of specialized engineering firms to address landscape, hydrogeological, ecological, geotechnical and acoustic issues. Additional impact studies may be carried out, depending on regulations. ECT works upstream with the local authorities and associations concerned. The municipalities involved are kept informed of projects and are involved in the consultation process, even when they are not signatories to the administrative authorization. Some of our projects are also subject to public inquiry.

Last but not least, our projects are also communicated to and examined by prefectural government departments such as the DREAL and DDT.

ECT’s environmental and social developments cost neither the community nor the landowner anything. Developing territories and their attractiveness at no cost to the community is possible by applying the principles of a circular economy to excavated soil from construction sites.

ECT  ‘s business is to manage excavated soil from the construction industry and transform derelict and abandoned sites  . The reuse of inert soil on these derelict sites finances their transformation.  

• The construction and public works sector pays ECT for the management (environmental engineering, characterization, traceability, reception) of its surplus excavated soil.
• On the site to be transformed, the reuse and recovery ofexcavated soil finances 100% of the rehabilitation project and  carried out in consultation with the community.
• For €1, ECT returns the finished layout to the local authority, which then benefits from a new layout, free of charge, for €0.