Residents outraged at plans for new landfill facility at Chirac, Charente

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A public meeting on Tuesday to discuss the proposed landfill site at Chirac in the Charente has failed to pacify angry residents, who fear that the smell, pollution and extra heavy goods traffic will affect their quality of life, and reduce the value of their homes.

The meeting was arranged by the Mayor of Chirac Jean Saint-Clair (pictured), in an attempt to put an end to rumours, gossip and mis-information, but attempts by president of the waste management association Jean Révéreault to explain the project met with angry exchanges from some of the 200 people present.

The waste management association Calitom announced back in October its intention to look at creating a landfill site within a 20 hectare site that was acquired in woodland less than 3km from the village of Chirac (Bois du Chambon).  They say that the site is needed for future planning, to dispose of the 75,000 tons of waste that cannot be recycled from the 150,000 tonnes that Calitom handles every year.

There are two sites that currently handle this waste, one at Rouzède which is due to close in July 2009, and one at Sainte-Sévère, which is said to have three years more capacity.  The company are in the process of extending the facility at Sainte-Sévère, including new equipment to mechanically and biologically treat the waste, and to separate materials that can be recycled or composted.  The remainder is crushed and treated before being buried in landfill sites. 

Calitom (Charente Association for the Valorisation of Household Waste), which was set up in 1997 to manage the treatment and disposal of waste from 390 communes (240,000 inhabitants), argues that the pre-treated waste is a far cry from the landfill waste of the past, and that residents should have no fears about smell or pollution.

Residents are furious that their commune and the surrounding area will be blighted by the facility, and have concerns over the not just the pollution and smell, but the heavy lorries that will transport the crushed waste to the site.  There are many British residents in and around the commune of Chirac who fear the value of their property will be affected.

A meeting of the association of residents against the project will convene at the Salle Polyvalente again on 29 December at 8pm.

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