Soil and sediment processing centre CPEM, France

The first soil and sediment processing centre of its type in the Mediterranean area

CPEM, or Centre de Production d’EcoMatériaux, is a soil and sediment processing centre located near Toulon, in France. It is the first centre of this type in the Mediterranean area and the first Envisan processing centre in France. The assignment of the new processing centre consisted in processing polluted sediments originating from dredging activities and polluted soil from civil engineering activities, and preparing it for reuse.

Thanks to the opening of CPEM, France now also has the possibility to decontaminate and upgrade sediments and polluted soil in an innovative manner, by using biological and physicochemical depollution techniques. When CPEM opened, this was a relatively new approach in France. The centre is built on a 3.4-hectare site and can process up to 160,000 m³ material per year. The centre is divided into different zones, each taking care of one phase in the treatment process. The centre also has its own water treatment plant. All applicable environmental protection standards are met, and the centre meets the most stringent traceability requirements.