A69: Atosca ordered to reduce emissions from the Puylaurens asphalt plant

The Tarn prefecture has ordered Atosca to reduce atmospheric emissions from the Puylaurens asphalt plant, which is being used to produce the surface for the future A69 motorway between Toulouse and Castres.

This decision comes as the laying of the coating is almost complete and the inauguration of the infrastructure is announced for mid-October.

Two non-conformities were noted at the plant's exit.

According to the prefecture, the analyses carried out on August 25 "at the chimney outlet" revealed non-compliant results for two of the seven substances or families of substances under surveillance.

The prefect has therefore issued a formal notice to the concession holder, Atosca. The company has until September 17th to modify the installation's settings and restore its compliance. The measured values ​​and the precise identity of the two substances involved are not detailed in the information provided.

The prefecture distinguishes between emissions and ambient air quality.

In addition to measurements taken directly at the plant's outlet, analyses were carried out in its surrounding environment. Based on the work of the National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), the prefecture states that "the concentrations measured around the plant remained mostly low in the ambient air."

It states that "no environmental degradation could therefore be demonstrated." State services thus distinguish between the non-compliance observed at the discharge point and the concentrations recorded in the air surrounding the facility.

Opponents of the A69 motorway are demanding the shutdown of the power plants.

The La Voie Est Libre collective, which opposes the construction of the highway, presents a different interpretation of these results. It claims that the emissions measured in Puylaurens exceed the permitted levels by three times.

"We have learned that the prefect of Tarn has acknowledged, through a formal notice, that the Puylaurens bitumen plant, touted as exemplary by Atosca and state services, exceeds the authorized limits for emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere."

The group points out that residents and parents of students at nearby schools have regularly reported odors and potential pollution since the facilities began operating. They criticize government agencies for not taking action sooner.

The Voie Est Libre is now demanding the immediate shutdown of the Puylaurens power plant as well as that of Villeneuve-lès-Lavaur, also used by Atosca for the needs of the construction site.

The continuation of the construction work is definitively authorized.

This formal notice comes just over two months after the Council of State's decision regarding the continuation of the motorway project. At the end of June, the highest administrative court upheld the ruling of the Toulouse Administrative Court of Appeal authorizing the resumption of construction. The environmental permits for the A69 and A680 motorways have thus become final.

This legal decision, concerning the motorway project as a whole, remains separate from the regulatory oversight of the facilities used during construction. The Puylaurens power plant remains bound to comply with the emission limits applicable to its operation.