The Bruxelles Ecopôle complex combines depollution and renovation of an old industrial site with new employment opportunities for low-skilled local jobseekers, sustainable reuse and recycling of urban waste, and educational tours for schools and other groups.
- 14 December 2014
Since its creation in 1990, Bruxelles Propreté has strived to establish selective waste collection as well as implementing suitable treatment equipment. The Bruxelles- Ecopôle project complements this waste treatment strategy by setting up recycling and reuse networks.
The 6 000 m2 site can process 4 500 tonnes of waste per year, including 1 500 tonnes of bulky waste collected by Brussels waste management agency Bruxelles-Propreté, and will create between 40 and 80 local jobs. Workshops, storage areas, a 350 m2 showroom and a store selling products made from recycled refuse will help stimulate sustainable growth and promote urban renewal.
The Ecopôle recycling hub is one of 12 projects chosen by “Brussels Greenfields”, another ERDF-supported initiative, to receive subsidies for chemical clean-up of polluted sites along the Brussels Canal area. After successful soil depollution, the renovation of the old industrial building and the installation of the various components of the recycling complex is transforming it into a local paragon of sustainable development in the social economy.
Expert partners
Besides Bruxelles-Propreté and Actiris, the Brussels employment agency, a series of recycling and processing firms have signed up to participate in the project, including CF2M, specialising in the recovery of electronic waste; Ecotop Giga Services, which recycles and resells ink cartridges; Relego, which processes construction waste; Les Petits Riens, which will sort and resell bulky waste items; and Oliris, a project to transform used cooking oil into bioethanol.
Bruxelles Ecopôle will include a showroom and a shop where a great variety of products resulting from these activities will be available for presentations and for sale.
A good example for children
Schoolchildren and other groups will be able to tour the facilities and learn about the many ways in which our everyday waste can be reused and recycled. Plans for the site include a footbridge, a cycling path and a public cafeteria, all of which will allow visitors to get a closer look at operations.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for “Bruxelles Ecopôle” was EUR 11 233 772, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributed EUR 3 368 374 from the “Brussels Capital Region” Operational Programme for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.