Trash transformation occurs right here. We are standing before the Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud. This translates to the Lyon-South household waste incineration plant. This is where Lyon’s trash meets technology.
Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud is not just any waste facility. It’s a key part of Lyon’s waste management. It stands as a modern solution to urban waste.
Let’s step back in time to understand its origins. In the autumn of 1989, Lyon’s waste management landscape changed drastically. Two new incineration plants were put into service. One of these was the Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud. It was strategically located in the port Edouard-Herriot area. This was about a kilometer from the older Gerland plant built in 1963.
The Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud started cautiously. Its first combustion furnace began operating on September 25, 1989. It was named “Lyon-Sud” to avoid confusion with the older Gerland plant.
The Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud and its sister plant “Lyon-Nord” were designed to handle a lot of waste. Together, they could process up to 540,000 tons of household waste per year. This offered a clean and sustainable solution for urban waste. The CoUrLy community jumped from old methods to advanced technology.
Both plants were very similar in design and performance. They even used the same environmental protection system. This system was the LAB process or “wet method”. It revolutionized pollution treatment. The Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud managed to look like anything but a waste incineration plant. Only the huge chimneys with white smoke hinted at its true purpose. Even the smells were kept under control.
The cost for the Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud was over 300 million francs. This plant handles waste from the southern part of Lyon. It also serves some areas in the Rhône-Isère region.
March 26, 1990 marked a grand event. It was the official launch of the Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud. By March, it was burning twelve tons of waste per hour. Michel Noir and Michel Mercier inaugurated the plant. It had three enormous German-made furnaces. It could process 360,000 tons of household waste annually.
Like Lyon-Nord, Lyon-Sud had some initial hiccups. An alternator failure stopped electricity production for about three months. The incineration system’s main goal is to create energy from burning waste. One ton of waste equals about 200 liters of fuel oil. The Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud could heat 10,000 homes. It also provided heat to the fire station and Aguettant laboratories.
The Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud replaced an old plant. This older plant had polluted Lyon’s air for over thirty years. The old plant was not up to standards for dust and smoke emissions. It was scheduled for demolition. This made way for the “Parc des quatre rives” near the Gerland stadium.
The new system offered big environmental benefits. A Lyon engineering firm called “LAB” created a special process. It reduced dust and hydrochloric acid emissions by a hundredfold. Charles Delfante and Bernard Tarlier designed the plant with an audacious architecture.
The CoUrLy and the Conseil général invested 360 million francs. This project took almost two years. The Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud offers a comparison. It allows for comparison between public and private management. The Lyon-Nord plant was managed privately by COFRETH.
Today the Usine d’incinération des ordures ménagères Lyon-Sud stands as a testament. It shows Lyon’s commitment to modern waste management and environmental responsibility. As we conclude our visit, consider the journey of waste. See how it transforms from a problem into a resource.