FAQ - your most frequently asked questions?
Do you have any questions? We answer the most frequently asked questions.
If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to contact us. To find out more about our business, please consult our glossary .
“Les Yeux du Ciel” is located on the ECT site in Villeneuve-sous-Dammartin, Seine et Marne (77).
It’s a work of land art and aerial art imagined by Antoine Grumbach and created by the ECT company as part of the landscaping for its excavated earth reclamation site. In 2023, L’Œil Ouest was completed by ECT, after 6 months of earthworks and planting. It is visible to air travellers from the nearby Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport. Work on the second eye is scheduled to start in 2025.
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.
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.
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.
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
Systematic canvassing is carried out with the companies in charge of the work to work out solutions with them that will limit the environmental impact: choice of host sites and access routes to the disposal areas, with priority given to roads with heavy traffic, in order to keep the nuisance caused to local residents to a minimum.
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 will be carried out to direct and regulate runoff.
Find out more about environmental and social quality indicators for ECT projects
Understand the benefits of waste status for excavated soil in 5 key points:
1 / This is a legal and regulatory status, protecting the environment and public health.
Inert excavated soil is a noble, unsullied material that can be reused as it is in undeveloped areas.
But they have the legal status of waste as soon as they leave the excavation site. In other words, as soon as they leave the construction or public works site.
Article L. 541-1-1 of the French Environment Code defines waste as “any substance or object, or more generally any movable asset, which the holder discards or intends or is obliged to discard”.
2/ The status of waste is protective because it establishes theresponsibility of the producer, the holder and the receiving site.
Article L541-2 of the French Environment Code confirms this responsibility: “Any producer or holder of waste is required to manage it, or have it managed, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Any producer or holder of waste is responsible for its management until final disposal or recovery, even when the waste is transferred to a third party for treatment.
Any producer or holder of waste must ensure that the person to whom it is handed over is authorized to take charge of it.
3/ Waste status imposes 3 major obligations:
- It requires the producer of excavated soil to characterize it: is it inert? Are they polluted?
- It obliges the producer to find an outlet for the soil, depending on the type of soil resulting from the characterization: inert, non-inert, non-hazardous, hazardous. In the case of inert soils, the sites authorized to receive them may be ICPE / ISDI (Installation de stockage de déchets inertes) sites or sites opened under Permis d’Aménager.
- It sets up a chain of traceability. obligations have been strengthened by the 2020 AGEC law.
Find out more about the traceability of excavated soil
4/ The waste status of excavated soil also implies a principle of recycling. The French Energy Transition Law for Green Growth (LTECV) of August 17, 2015 introduced a target of 70% recovery of construction waste, including excavated soil, by 2020. On the other hand, the semantics specific to waste regulations (disposal/recovery) do not correspond well to the management of inert excavated soil. Reusing them on an ISDI-type site to create an urban park is legally considered as disposal and not recovery. On the other hand, the same operation to create an urban park under a Permis d’Aménager (planning permission) will be a development.
To find out more about the differences between ISDI / Permis d’Aménager
5/ The ministerial decree of June 4, 2021 authorizes the removal of excavated soil and sediment from waste status under certain very specific conditions, which are often complex to implement.
What is the purpose of these registers?
The AGEC law and its decrees have strengthened the traceability provisions for excavated soil, given its legal status as “waste”. The aim is threefold:
– Improve knowledge of these deposits,
– better take them into account in the circular economy,
– prevent environmental damage.
What are the new obligations?
As of January 1, 2022, the companies concerned are required to keep a chronological register.
Chronological registers must be kept for a period of 3 years.
Data from the chronological register must be fed into the National Register of Waste, Excavated Soil and Sediment.
Implementation: 2022 chronological registers will not have to be transmitted to RNDTS. Transmission to RNDTS is mandatory by May 1, 2023 at the latest, with data retroactive to January 1, 2023.
Find out more about the chronological register
Who’s concerned?
- Land producers
- Land brokers / traders
- Land shippers
- Land transporters
- Operators of soil treatment and reclamation facilities
Obligations related to keeping the chronological register
Keeping the chronological register is mandatory under the terms of article R. 451-43 of the French Environment Code.
Data concerning excavation, transport and soil reception operations must be filled in on an ongoing basis.
Registers must be kept for 3 years.
Penalties for non-compliance
Failure to keep the register, or refusal to make it available, is a criminal offence. Each breach is punishable by a fine of up to €750 (article 111-13 of the French Penal Code), as provided for 4th-class offences. In the event of a repeat offence or failure to comply, the criminal penalty can extend to up to 2 years’ imprisonment and a €75,000 fine.
What information must be included in the chronological register?
- Nature of waste, waste codes,
- Dates of collection, transport and receipt,
- Origin, transport, destination and type of soil treatment
Find out more about the National Register of Waste, Excavated Soil and Sediments (RNDTS)
Who’s concerned?
- Land producers
- Operators of soil treatment and reclamation facilities
Obligations relating to transmission to RNDTS
Declarations to the National Register of Waste, Excavated Soil and Sediment are made online.
online at
:
Electronic data transmission must take place no later than the last day of the month following dispatch, receipt or processing. Data must be updated systematically, whenever necessary.
Penalties for non-compliance
Producers and operators who fail to comply may be subject to criminal penalties. Each breach is punishable by a fine of up to €750 (article 111-13 of the French Penal Code), as provided for 4th-class offences.
In the event of a repeat offence or failure to comply, the criminal penalty can extend to up to 2 years’ imprisonment and a €75,000 fine.
Welcome to ECT,
First, you need to open a customer account with the sales department. You will then be administratively referenced. And you’ll have access to all ECT customer services.
Next, here are the various steps to ensure that the soil and materials excavated from your site can be disposed of at our landfill sites.
1 – Register to your customer area
ECT’s customer extranet is a dedicated, secure area accessible from our website or your cell phone. Registration is fast and free. This site allows you to manage all your activities with our company. You can consult your DAPs, evacuated quantities, unloading slips and invoices in real time.
2- DAP validation
For each of your projects, you need to submit a DAP (Demande d’Acceptation Préalable) application. This request must be approved by ECT before any soil or materials are removed.
PAD requests should be sent to ECT’s Quality Department by e-mail: dap@groupe-ect.com
3- Validation of safety protocols
All our sites are subject to security protocols. The protocol will be sent to you before you visit a site. You’ll need to accept and sign it.
4- Plan your soil inputs
Planning the delivery of your land is mandatory. Before sending your trucks, your request must be validated by the Reservations department: reservation@groupe-ect.com | 01 60 54 57 53 | Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
5- Receipt and use of unloading slips
As soon as your reservations have been validated, your unloading slips are available in your customer area. These dematerialized vouchers can be sent by SMS or e-mail , to your carriers. These vouchers take the form of a QR Code. They must be presented at site entrances.
6- Unloading your soil on our sites
All ECT sites are subject to specific access conditions. All information on schedules, access maps and truck types accepted is available on our website on the page,
map and access to the ECT site.
7- Monitoring and control tools.
The Extranet customer area lets you monitor and manage your business in real time.
You have all the information you need to fill in your chronological register and transmit it to the National Register of Waste, Excavated Soil and Sediment (RNDTS), which is mandatory from May 1, 2023.
Taking in excavated building materials
Soil and materials received on our development sites are excavated on construction sites.
The soil and materials received are inert materials:
- 95% of materials received are soil,
- the remaining 5% are stones, pebbles and concrete, very useful for the construction and maintenance of the site’s runways;
Table of inert soils and materials accepted on ECT sites
| WASTE CODE | DESCRIPTION | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inert earths |
|
|
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| Unpolluted gravel |
|
|
||||||
| WETLANDS | 17 01 02 |
|
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| Blocks | 17 01 01 | Concrete, rock |
What materials are refused at ECT sites?
The following are prohibited on our sites all materials non-inert :
- Treated or untreated wood,
- Metals,
- Plastic materials,
- Bulky goods,
- Tires,
- Insulation materials with or without asbestos,
- Plasters,
- Textiles,
- Packaging waste,
- Green waste, topsoil,
- Tar and tar products,
- Asbestos,
- Residues of paint, adhesives and sealants containing solvents or heavy metal oxides,
- Soot,
- Acids
- Polluted gravel,
- Bottom ash
- Polystyrene
Due diligence, DAP
As a first step, each customer company wishing to bring in soil and materials from an identified site must submit a Request for Prior Acceptance (RPA) to ECT’s Quality Department.
This document specifies :
- Geographical origin, site location ;
- Producer’s contact details ;
- Carrier details ;
- Type and quantity of backfill.
This information is then compared with the data contained in the database of potentially contaminated sites in the Ile de France region (BASOL). If pollution is suspected, prior analysis of the materials is required. This request (DAP) is sent for each ECT customer site. No material is accepted without the prior agreement of the Quality department, which ensures compliance with the classes of materials selected for the site concerned.
Download the different ECT DAPs
Controls on the ECT site
These controls meet the obligations resulting from the provisions of Article 19 of the Ministry of Ecology’s Order of December 12, 2014 on inert waste storage facilities, which stipulates:
“Unloading waste directly into the final storage area is prohibited. A waste control area is set up to allow waste to be checked after it has been discharged from the skips carrying it.
This zone can be moved according to the phasing of site operations. This zone is specially signposted and clearly marked.
A skip cannot be emptied in the absence of the operator or his representative”.
On receipt of a load on site, a waste tracking slip for building and civil engineering sites, containing information from the DAP as well as details of the transporter and its registration, will be given to the receiving agent, who is also responsible for checking the quality of the materials. This tracking slip will be entered in a computerized admission register, and sent daily to ECT’s administrative headquarters.
For each load presented, the following information is recorded:
- Date and time of receipt ;
- Origin and nature of materials;
- Volume of materials ;
- Verification of accompanying documents and DAP;
- Where applicable, video control recording ;
- Vehicle registration and company name;
- If applicable, the reason for refusal of admission. In the event of pollution or unauthorized materials being found on site, the load will be returned, after being recorded in a special register (date and time of refusal, vehicle registration number, name of producer and transporter, exact address of worksite, nature and quantity of material, reason for refusal). These refusals will be regularly reported to the supervisory authority.
The materials are then dumped close to the area being backfilled, where they are picked up by a bulldozer to place the inert materials. A second waste inspection is carried out during unloading by the machine operator. A third and final check is carried out when spreading materials before backfilling by the machine operator.
If pollution is suspected, the materials are recharged. In this case, a note is made in the admissions refusal register.
From the computerized admission register, it is possible to keep precise track of all customers and worksites that have dumped materials on the site, and to issue a monthly report. Bordereau de Suivi de Traçabilité by customer and/or worksite.
Last but not least, keeping and updating a topographical plan to locate the areas and levels of fill corresponding to the data in the register.
External controls
The local authorities concerned will be invited to all site meetings and will be able to carry out any checks they wish.
As part of the ISO 14001 certification process (in place since December 2011), ECT sites are regularly inspected at random by an independent auditor, who checks that all regulatory requirements applicable to these facilities are being met.
ECT is also subject to regular checks at all its sites by inspectors from the supervisory authorities (DRIEE and DDT) in charge of sustainable development, who visit sites unannounced to verify compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
