Lafarge cement manufacturer suspected of dumping concrete in the Seine

The headquarters of the cement manufacturer Lafarge in Paris, April 7, 2014 -

• In the 12th arrondissement, the cement manufacturer Lafarge would voluntarily discharge its waste and polluted water into the Seine.

• This is not the first time that the cement manufacturer has been at the heart of a scandal.

  Parisian elected officials are protesting against these new revelations.

• The mayor of Paris has indicated that a complaint will be filed.

Towards an ecological and environmental scandal in the capital?

According to information from Europe 1, the cement manufacturer Lafarge voluntarily discharges wastewater from one of its factories located along the river into the Seine.

More precisely at the Port of Bercy in the 12th arrondissement of Paris where the group produces concrete.

Info @ Europe1: in the heart of Paris, the Lafarge group discharges wastewater from one of its factories directly into the Seine.

Inside, cement particles, processing fluids and plastic microfibers.

https://t.co/2rx4VGVUNV pic.twitter.com/DdSxs4xkuD

- Margaux Baralon (@MargauxBaralon) September 1, 2020

Still according to our colleagues from Europe 1, in this wastewater, which flows continuously through a hole drilled in the retention tank, there is a mixture of cement particles, treatment liquids and plastic microfibers.

The Paris town hall immediately reacted.

“I am amazed to discover this slow pollution which is poisoning our river.

Explanations are needed from the site manager and a complaint will be filed, ”said on Twitter, Emmanuel Grégoire, first assistant to Anne Hidalgo.

I discovered with amazement this slow pollution which poisons our river.

Explanations are needed from the site manager and a complaint will be filed EXCLUSIVE - In the heart of Paris, Lafarge is pouring concrete into the Seine https://t.co/l67ZSaqQOf via @ europe1

- Emmanuel GREGOIRE (@egregoire) September 1, 2020

"Let all the light be shed on these practices"

In fact, Lafarge is obliged to treat this wastewater, but according to Jacques Lemoine, development officer of the Approved Association for Fishing and the Protection of the Aquatic Environment (AAPPMA), the company is breaking the rules.

"Not only does it not do it, but it allows itself to reject it in the Seine voluntarily ...", he explains at the microphone of Europe 1. In a press release consulted by

, the elected ecologists of Paris denounce a "Damage to the environment in the heart of Paris and accuse the cement manufacturer Lafarge of harming the public health of Parisians".

"We ask that all light be shed on these practices", they protest.

“We cannot tolerate this flagrant offense of environmental pollution which could harm the health of the citizens of Paris,” notes Guillaume Durand, co-manager of EELV Paris.

For his part, Dan Lert, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of ecological transition, climate plan, water and energy explains that “the images published this morning are scandalous.

Lafarge acts irresponsibly by endangering the health of Parisians and biodiversity ”.

Solicited by

, the EELV mayor of the 12th arrondissement, Emmanuelle Pierre-Marie, also expresses her bitterness.

“After the actions of Vinci in Nanterre, it is the turn of the 12th arrondissement to be affected by the actions of a multinational, here Lafarge.

It is at best culpable negligence at worst a willful act all the more criminal.

All the light must be shed, responsibilities established and sanctions taken, ”she concludes.

The town hall of the 12th arrondissement will also take part in the legal action brought by the city of Paris.

"Lafarge will have to pay, there is a duty to repair"

Contacted by

, the Lafarge company did not respond to our requests.

But this is not the first time that the cement manufacturer is at the heart of a scandal.

In 2017, the Paris town hall decided to separate from Lafarge, which was then its “historical” partner and former supplier of sand for Paris-Plages.

The construction group had admitted to having financed armed groups in Syria and had positioned itself for a time for the construction of the "Trump wall".

“The sand that we are going to put on the beaches carries blood.

We cannot condone that ”, denounced at the time Danielle Simonnet, counselor of Paris (LFI) who also reacted to these new revelations concerning this time wild pollution.

“I'm strangling !!!

Have you discovered the pollution of the Lafarge site in the Seine?

But when will you decide to listen to my speeches and read my vows?

!

“, She said in response to Emmanuel Grégoire.

The subject should indeed agitate the next Council of Paris.

"It's fuck-up!"

If the city is not able to know that there is a problem with the Lafarge companies on the banks of the Seine… We have already warned about other cement factories in Javel in particular.

The problem of pollution of the Seine via cement factories is not new, ”she told

.

And to clarify: “Today, the town hall must demand that environmental surveys be carried out and that it requests an immediate closure of the 12th district cement plant as long as the problem is not resolved.

Finally, Lafarge will have to pay, there is now a duty of repair ”.

Paris

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Planet

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• ecology

• Seine

• Planet

• Lafarge

• Pollution

• Paris

• Anne Hidalgo

• Cement