This shows that the question is important, especially since, still on a national level, “20% of the population is concerned by non-collective sanitation, which represents five million people”, specifies Yann Le Moullec. A problem that Premier Tech, a Canadian company, has adopted to create a high-performance system: “It’s not us who say it but an INRAE study which showed that we had the best purification performance.”
This system consists of two concrete tanks, “the first is used for primary treatment, it is the septic tank which receives all the wastewater (toilets, shower, dishes.). During this first treatment, the solid materials are deposited at the bottom, while the liquid material goes into the secondary treatment pit where a biofilter composed of coconut husk (the fiber that surrounds the fruit, Editor’s note) or maritime pine bark acts, which eliminates the risk of pollution. The water thus purified is then released into the ground, the work of which we do in some way. The system is gravity, mechanical and does not require electricity. Depending on the size of the land, there is also an all-in-one model. It is adaptable to all terrains and if the slope is too slight, we can add a small lifting pump,” explains Yann Moullec.
And to add that the septic tank must be emptied every four or five years and that the biofilter must be changed after 12 to 15 years.
Tanks built in Saint-André
The process was launched four years ago in the research and development department: “We needed, in particular, good reliability of the concrete. “It’s a product range that was rarely sold at the time.” It took the company two years of research before the first tank obtained certification. “In the process, we built a first production plant in Montbrison (Loire). And based on this success, we decided to approach the various markets on the west coast and the south-west of France, where the share of non-collective sanitation is significant. Gironde represents 20% of the region.”
“The idea is to reach a clientele within a radius of 300 km around the siteâ€
And it is therefore in Saint-André-de-Cubzac that these tanks are now built to cover this territory of the South West. “The idea is to reach customers within a radius of 300 km around the site, this is our core target. We want to produce as close as possible to customers, which also makes it possible to limit the carbon impact of delivery.” The company set up shop last summer in the Aquitaine Park, by purchasing a old metallurgical building which it redeveloped according to its own needs, for an investment of €3 million. The factory started producing at the beginning of March.
“We are only at 15% of our production capacity. Within three to five years, we will increase our strength and go from 7/8 employees today to around fifteen,” specifies Yann Le Moullec. Please note that for the production of the tanks, the company works with the Lafarge company via the concrete plant located in Bussac-Forêt. 8 m³ are treated per day, for the moment.
