A fine of €22,000 and the suspension until further notice of the discharge of effluents loaded with dichloromethane. These are the two decisions taken on January 30, 2024 by the Vienne prefecture against TDCI (Traitement coupe conception industriel), an industry with a few employees specializing in the treatment and coating of metals in Dangé-Saint-Romain, north of Châtellerault.
220 times the authorized ceiling
In question, according to the prefectural decrees still in force: “Dichloromethane concentrations significantly higher than regulatory limit values”, in industrial effluents discharged into the municipal wastewater treatment network of Dangé-Saint-Romain.
A report on the analysis of treatment water at the plant, carried out in July 2023 by an independent company, revealed a methylene chloride level of 110,000 μg/l, or 220 times the authorized ceiling (1). Pollution “likely to contaminate the water and sludge in the treatment plant”underlines the prefecture (2).
Product likely to cause cancer
Used in the chemical industry, methylene chloride is an organic compound classified as “H351” by current European legislation, i.e. ” Suspected of causing cancer “.
TDCI (formerly Décap’Center Industrie) had been in the State’s sights since July 2021. At the time, the company had been placed on notice to ” to comply “within three months, its installations classified for environmental protection.
Almost three years later, the prefecture notes that “the situation continues despite the expiry of the deadline”. She specifies that “the operator has indicated […] that it was not able to implement a process to comply with the requirements relating to maximum concentrations of dichloromethane.
However, according to her, “It is permissible for [TDCI] to treat as waste, by a duly authorized installation, the aqueous effluents resulting from the washing of parts having undergone prior treatment in solvent baths”.
Three layoffs
Requested Tuesday June 25, the manager, Claude Nilion, disputes the carcinogenic nature of the product. He considers that “European standards change all the time” and “The rate requested by the prefecture is so low that it is impossible to achieve”.
However, he explains that he “put things in place” since the sanctions. « We are doing tests to gradually lower the rates.. When we find the solution, we can resume this activity… As long as it remains profitable. Otherwise? We will have to close. We had to lay off three people in 2023 because of this story.”
In the meantime, the company “makes other sectors work”. And for the “treatment with dichloromethane” part – which, in normal times, weighs “a certain percentage” of the activity – she “uses subcontractors”.
(1) According to the prefecture, TDCI operates “an average flow of 3,500 kg of dichloromethane” per day. The emission limit value is set at 50 μg/l.
(2) The prefecture did not respond to our request for details, nor did Eaux de Vienne, manager of the Dangé treatment station.
