An eco-responsible product, this fertile substrate is made from recycled green waste and building materials.
Paris May 25, 2020 – ECT announces the completion of a greening project on the Esplanade Saint-Louis in the Bois de Vincennes. ECT produced fertile substrate in situ, at the request of the City of Paris. Its manufacture is part of a circular economy and recycling of inert soil from construction and public works, combined with green waste compost. This material is a local, sustainable alternative to imported topsoil, a natural resource that must be preserved. Fertile substrate is an economically sober solution for extending “nature in the city”, a major environmental challenge for tomorrow’s cities.
Recycling on an emblematic site
Delayed by bad weather in winter and a health hazard in spring, planting work on the esplanade Saint-Louis in the Bois de Vincennes has just been completed. The aim: to produce a specific, recycled growing medium to green the esplanade, a former crossroads in the axis of the Château.
The specifications call for a lawn that can accommodate the public for outdoor events. This project to create a fertile technosol follows on from previous experiments carried out with the City of Paris in the Bois de Vincennes, as part of a Paris Région Lab call for projects.
“The notion of fertility is inseparable from ECT’s business. We use a noble material, inert soil from construction and public works, to reconstitute fertile soils and offer local authorities a sober, recycled, locally produced planting medium, without having to resort to stripped topsoil several hundred kilometers away,” declares Laurent Mogno, President of ECT.
Fertile substrate to restore soil and its agro-ecological qualities
In this way, 2,800 m3 of fertile substrate were produced to support the planting of the Saint Louis esplanade. The manufacturing process for this substrate has been adjusted to meet the City of Paris’ specifications. Various earthy and stony materials are used. These materials are levelled before being covered with a layer of compost made from plant debris. Once this “mille-feuilles” has been produced, the substrate is mixed through its entire thickness to homogenize it. The growing medium is then ready to be worked on and planted by the landscaping company. Next step: planting and grass growth to complete the greening of the esplanade.
The circular economy of excavated soil for "GREEN IN THE CITY
This project represents a new stage in the deployment of a circular economy for excavated soil at the service of local authorities. As such, the reuse of inert soil represents a tremendous opportunity for the development of natural, agricultural or recreational areas. This is a major challenge, given that 63% of French city dwellers would like to see more green spaces in their neighborhoods*.
In addition, ECT has spent several years researching and developing a fertile substrate suitable for planting in urban environments, culminating in Urbafertil in 2019. Our own brand of substrate, its composition is adapted to each project, in compliance with standard NF U 44-551 (growing media).
*ECT survey conducted by IFOP, February 2020
ECT PRODUCES FERTILE SUBSTRATE IN SITU ON ESPLANADE DE VINCENNES
About ECT
ECT’s growth is part of a circular economy strategy: reusing inert soil from construction sites in the Paris region to work with local authorities on concerted, sustainable development projects. To structure this dynamic, ECT has developed “Excavated earth management” expertise to meet the need for environmental engineering and traceability in the construction and public works sector, combined with a “Development design and implementation” division to offer local authorities useful projects based on the reclamation of excavated earth: landscaped or urban parks, urban farms, photovoltaic power plants, golf courses, equestrian centers or sports facilities.
Key figures: founded in 1997 ║230 employees ║A dozen sites in operation in the Paris region ║15 million tonnes of excavated material processed / year ║ 10,000 trees planted / year
PRESS CONTACT ECT – HOPSCOTCH
Ariane Gateau – 01 58 65 10 72 agateau@hopscotch.fr
Sarah El Adak – 01 41 34 22 88 seladak@hopscotch.fr
