At a meeting of the National Council, the Monegasque government confirmed that it will build a new waste-processing plant on Charles-III Island. They also stated that they are waiting to determine the most appropriate reprocessing technology to integrate into the new plant.
The question of the future of waste-processing in the Principality has been debated at the High Assembly for the past few years. What will be the next step after the incineration plant in Fontvieille reaches its programmed obsolescence? Rather than following the option of replacing the plant with another, newer version, the government has shifted directions and is approaching the issue with a fresh perspective.
According to a report from Nice Matin, Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, government-minister advisor for Equipment, Urbanism and the Environment gave these comments:
“We have rethought the very concept of the waste recycling plant, which will not be rebuilt on its current location, rather on land that belongs to the state – the Charles-III islet, the last parcel leftover by SNCF. We are starting from scratch with an entirely different scheme.”
Operational objective: 2025
A coordinating urban planner is currently in charge of the file for preparatory work on this site located at the western entrance of the Principality, on the border with Cap d’Ail. The commission will be open to all companies wishing to apply Marie-Pierre Gramaglia elaborated: “We hope to choose the winner by early 2022 and start the work on the plant in the first half of 2023. That would allow us to deliver by 2025.”
The future plant will be conditioned to treat a flow of 30,000 tons of waste. Though the current one processes around 45,000 tons, eventually the 15,000 tons surplus generated by the CARF will no longer be treated in the Principality.
Incineration, an unpopular yet effective method
Most Monegasque residents have shown dislike for the current waste-disposal method of incineration. This will be taken into consideration for the creation of the new plant, which will explore the best-adapted technology for the future of Monaco’s waste treatment. This list of technologies does, nevertheless, include incineration, which is particularly efficient and has served the Principality well until this point. On that note, Marie-Pierre Gramaglia explained: “we are committed to examining all technologies, but we have never committed to excluding incineration technology”. The choice of technology will certainly play into Monaco’s goals of becoming a “smart” country.