ICDI invests EUR 74,5 M in more sustainable waste management

ICDI

ICDI collects, recycles, treats and incinerates household waste for the 420 000 inhabitants of 14 communes of the region of Charleroi and employs 500 employees.

ICDI has invested for years in the prevention of the production of waste (oa via the introduction of smart bins) – in line with ICDI’s vision that ‘the best waste is the one that does not exist’ and the recycling and valorisation of waste. To this end, it operates a network of sorting and composting centers, a 'ressourcerie' where bulky goods are given a second life and an incineration facility that can treat 110,000 tons of waste per year and allows the recycling of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Through all these efforts, ICDI was able to valorise 98,9% of the waste volume in 2016, leaving only a small fraction that is to be disposed via landfill.

As ICDI wants to continue its contribution to a more sustainable environment, it will invest EUR 74,5m in its facility to improve the incineration process, thereby further reducing the emissions and foresee the possibility to install a heat network that will provide steam or heat to neighboring companies or public buildings (such as the municipal swimming pool). Next to this, ICDI will upgrade its waste-to-energy plant to boost the production of electricity to 22.000 MWh / year, enough to provide electricity to 12,000 instead of 6,000 households. Last but not least, the investment will lower the treatment cost per ton by around 25%, thereby limited the budgetary impact of the cost linked to waste treatment for ICDI’s municipalities.

Olivier Bouchat, the CEO of ICDI:

“The prevention of waste and its treatment in an as sustainable as possible manner are ICDI’s core mission and in this respect this is a very important project for ICDI, which is supported by investment grants of the Walloon region. Upon the completion of this project, we will look for further potential areas of improvement, such as the selective collection of organic waste to facilitate the production of pulp usable for the agricultural industry”.