EDF / 2018 Reference document
3.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL INFORMATION – HUMAN RESOURCES Other areas of the sustainable development policy
the efficient sorting of waste so that it may be sent to energy or materials ■ recovery companies in line with specific objectives defined in the environmental policies of the entities and relayed in the management contracts of the dedicated recovery companies and units (ex: EDF Renewables PV Cycle and First Solar agreements which take panels back at the end of their useful life, rental of IT equipment to DSP); developing partnerships with recycling players (RECYLUM for Citelum, Ateliers du ■ Bocage for printer cartridges); implementing on-site pre-treatment of various waste items, in order to limit the ■ volume of hazardous waste and promote the recovery of the remaining portion (e.g.: concentration of hydrocarbons for energy recovery). The EDF sustainable development policy has set an objective to recover all 90% waste for the entire Group by 2021. The recovery rates for all conventional waste (1) remain at high levels.
life cycle approach. A study has been conducted by EDF Renewables on the impacts of wind and solar power technologies throughout the life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to decommissioning the facilities with a special focus on the end-of-life of equipment and its recyclability. Conventional waste management and 3.3.2.1.5 recovery In addition to prevention measures, the Group’s environmental policy aims to improve the recovery of waste that is produced. The main actions implemented consist of: developing the recycling of parts and materials, particularly in the ■ decommissioning phase (decommissioning of EDF thermal power plants, parts removed and recycled at Aramon and Porcheville or La Coche);
Results within the Group
2018
2017
2016
Volume of conventional industrial waste recovered or transported for recovery (in tonnes)
414,627
518,591
607,171
Waste recovery rate (%) – EDF group
87.1 92.4 95.7
85.0 93.0 96.8
89.9 95.3 99.1
Waste recovery rate (%) – EDF
Waste recovery rate (%) – EDF Energy
Combustion fly ash and gypsum produced by desulphurisation are recovered in full by all thermal generation plants in Europe (France, United Kingdom) and in China. Overall, several hundred thousand tonnes of ash are used in building roads and in the cement industry (with savings of approximately one tonne of CO 2 avoided per tonne of ash used (3) . In France, EDF's fossil-fuel thermal plants produced 127,858 tonnes in 2018 and 157,564 were recycled in the cement and concrete sector (depletion of old inventory (4) . In 2018, Dalkia developed the use of waste as fuel, which uses a fraction of biomass waste that has not been used previously (forest cutting residues), and is developing waste-wood projects. The materials involved in construction works are, to a great extent, reused, as in the following examples: post-Fukushima projects of nuclear sites, burial sites (Enedis (5) , ES). In order to find other levers for recovery of these waste products in France, the Group has undertaken research into better recovery of ash, sediment and sludge and is an active participant in the work of the National Institute for Circular Economy and the RECORD non-profit to develop methods and tools together with industrial groups or universities. With the association OREE, ADEME and the Ministry of Ecological Transition, EDF participated in drawing up the November 2018 decommissioning and waste management guide. Full-scale tests are under way in hydropower generation to develop sediments as soils (Mont-Cenis and Romanche Gavet) which produce scientific theses. Dalkia Wastenergy is actively participating in the research project TERRACOTA for the recovery of SRF supported by ADEME.
Year-to-year changes in tonnage are strongly influenced by ongoing investments and decommissioning programmes. The Group’s objective is to effectively manage the end of life cycle of its facilities and ensure good waste recovery without a set target for the volume of waste production. In 2018, the total production of conventional waste amounted to 422,000 t in France (2) , 20,980 t in the UK, 31,113 t in Italy, 1,124 t in Belgium and 764 t in other parts of the world. Non-recovered waste (disposal in a landfill), consists mainly of waste that does not benefit from the recovery processes: sludge from flue gas treatment (de-sulphurisation) or effluent treatment and containing hazardous substances (the prefectoral by-laws for authorisation require burial of this waste), insulation and mineral insulation (no industrial sector available at this stage but under study), mixed waste similar to household waste, the amount of which is limited by sorting. Impact of decommissioning and maintenance activities In 2018, construction activities were significantly reduced, mainly due to the completion of major projects: Velaisnes in the Real Estate Department, back-up diesel (DUS) sites in Chinon, Flamanville, Paluel and Tricastin. Decommissioning activities continue at a sustained level, particularly with the works of Richemont in France, Jarry Nord (Guadeloupe) and Luciana (Corsica). Furthermore, for EDF Hydro, repeated reservoir dredging has increased sediment production (+ 19,000 t). The recovery of combustion products and materials: a circular economy initiative The Group has been committed to developing the circular economy for some years, with ethical systems in place for the recycling and reuse of thermal plant products and materials used during construction works.
Excluding coal and gypsum fly ash, which are fully recycled. (1) Companies having their registered offices in France and consolidated using the full consolidation method. (2) EDF calculation based on average greenhouse gas content by country, including life cycle analysis (LCA), determined according to the generation mix per country provided by the (3) International Energy Agency (IEA) 2012 and according to the LCA of generation methods provided by the International Panel on Climate Change 2012. Independently of this inventory depletion, everything which was produced in 2018 was recycled. (4) Enedis is an independently managed subsidiary. (5)
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EDF I Reference Document 2018
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