Mayenne. What is the LDC poultry “co-product” factory implementing to avoid closure?

See my news
Follow Sablé News

In Vaiges (Mayenne), the Poultry Feed Company (PFC), reprocessing the remains of poultry from the LDC group’s slaughterhouses, has been subject to the cancellation of the prefectural decree authorizing it to operate, since the month of last April. The director, Nicolas Fabre, announced that Thursday October 17, 2024during a visit to the site, that a prefectural decree authorized it to continue its activity until avril 2025 pending the appeal judgment of the administrative court.

Proteins for animal feed

PFC employs 40 people. It reprocesses 150,000 tonnes of raw materials each year, from 15 slaughterhouses of the LDC group, within a perimeter of 150 km around Vaiges.

The factory processes everything in poultry that is not intended for human consumption: the viscera, legs, heads, etc. It transforms them into proteins intended for use in poultry.food for dogs and cats or in fats used in the composition of biofuel.

Compliance obligations

Since the first days of its operation, the Federation for the Environment in Mayenne (FE 53) has denounced problems with odors emitted by the factory and water consumption. On several occasions, administrative justice ordered the company to comply until the cancellation of the operating authorization in April.

This Thursday, October 17, managers highlighted the improvements made to the factory in this area.

A new team

A new team is working there: the site director, Nicolas Fabre, who arrived a year and a half ago, Michel Le Guen, operations manager since January, and Flavie Grimbert, quality or environment manager for a short year.

“Blood” activity stopped

The first concern: odors “consequences of the recovery of organic materials”.

The poultry blood processing line, which is too odorous, is neutralized. The activity stopped.

An investment plan to limit odors

And extensive investment plan was put in place to contain odors. “Two air treatment units including air washers and biological filters have been installed.” For the wastewater treatment plant, “activated carbon filtration systems with high absorption capacity dedicated to air treatment have been put in place”.

“We are within the regulations today”, estimates the director, still admitting “perceptions by neighbors”.

By the end of 2025, “a condensation (liquefaction) system for odorous particles” will be installed “with the aim of neutralizing them in a wastewater treatment plant”.

Analyzes are carried out “daily”.

Reduce drinking water consumption

Second axis: reducing drinking water consumption.

The site is authorized to consume 70,000 m³ of water each year for its activity and generates double that amount.

“Most of it is taken up by local farmers and the rest is rejected after treatment using innovative technological processes in the natural environment.”

Investments “are being studied to reduce drinking water consumption and increase the quantity of water reused”.

The site processes a third of France’s poultry by-products

And the director recalls the importance of the site.

Of the 500,000 tonnes of poultry by-products, PFC processes 30%.

He continues: “we are part of the circular economy. Without our animal proteins for feeding dogs and cats, imported soya would be substituted and a source of deforestation”

And now ?

The factory director is now awaiting the decision of the administrative court of appeal. PFC prepared for it.

In the event that we win the appeal, we held a public inquiry last spring to provide the desired details regarding water and odors.

And in the event of a conviction on appeal “we have put together a new operating file which will be filed in the coming days. »

The site operates today thanks to a relay order “valid until April 2025, which allows us to continue operating for do not put the poultry sector in difficulty« .

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.