The Fiber Excellence factory in Tarascon -

Sylvain THOMAS / AFP

  • The Tarascon Criminal Court requested a fine of 50,000 euros against Fiber Excellence for pollution.

  • This pulp mill located in the Bouches-du-Rhône is being prosecuted for “emission of polluting substances” with “harmful consequences likely to endanger human health”.

One of the most polluting factories in France.

The Tarascon Criminal Court on Wednesday requested a 50,000 euros fine against one of the largest pulp mills in France, owned by a Canadian company, "in denial" until 2017 as to its polluting emissions at Tarascon (Bouches-du-Rhône) and today on the verge of bankruptcy.

The maximum fine incurred by the company Fiber Excellence of Tarascon is 500,000 euros, but the prosecutor Laurent Gumbau estimated that "given the difficulties of the company", currently in receivership, "it is necessary to be reasonable".

According to him, Fiber Excellence and its Canadian shareholders of Paper Excellence have sinned by "lack of anticipation, of taking charge of an aging industrial tool with increasingly present environmental standards".

The "denial" of management

An inspector from the regional directorate of the environment, development and housing (Dreal), a state body, which was able to observe "strong exceedances" of polluting substances, spoke at the bar "denial" of the company's management on these issues until 2017.

"We have the impression that this factory has been neglected from an environmental point of view, on the altar of profitability", pleaded Me Julien Semmel, counsel for several civil parties.

"We wait for the moment when we no longer have a choice, when the criminal risk arises, to act," he denounced, referring to the many prefectural formal notices to which Fiber Excellence was sent before starting investments.

"Indonesian mentality"

When the president of the court questions Roger Girard, deputy managing director of the company since 2019, about the lack of investment in Tarascon on the part of Paper Excellence - a Canadian company owned by Jackson Widjaja, whose family runs the Indonesian giant of world stationery Asia Pulp and Paper - he evokes "an Indonesian mentality less focused on environmental issues".

Roger Girard also highlighted the succession of 14 directors in 30 years in the plant in South-East France.

Since the establishment of the factory on the banks of the Rhône in the 1950s, the inhabitants of the region have become accustomed to the smell of rotten eggs characteristic of the manufacture of paper pulp.

"This criminal trial shows that there has been an awareness of the local population", welcomed Me Semmel, assuring that the 140 civil parties "understood that no, these smells, these fumes, it is not normal, these are exceedances of harmful substances ”.

22 million euros

“No pulp mill in the world smells like roses!

", Got carried away Me Denis Borgia, advisor to Fiber Excellence, denying the" denial "of the company in the face of pollution and evoking expenditure of" 22 million euros "for an upgrade to environmental standards.

Fiber Excellence appeared for "emission of polluting substances" with "harmful consequences likely to endanger human health", in particular heavy metals and nitrogen oxides gases.

The plant classified as "Seveso" because of its potential dangerousness is also criticized for using non-compliant facilities.

The deliberation will be delivered on March 31.

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  • Factory

  • Fine

  • Pollution

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  • Environment

  • Justice