Toulouse. Raising shields against the biomass boiler project in Croix-Daurade
This Saturday, April 2, a day of festive mobilization from 11 a.m. is organized at the Skatepark des Maourines by the inhabitants of the district, in opposition to the project of a biomass boiler room there.
What is this project
Led by Toulouse Métropole, this project aims to build a biomass boiler room to supply hot water to the future ZAC Toulouse Matabiau. A public market is currently being consulted, with a call for tenders closed on Tuesday 29 March. The plant should be in operation by 2024.
Where will the plant be installed?
The town hall is currently planning to set up this boiler room in place of the Ernest-Renan skatepark and the SNCF car park which runs along the railway south of Borderouge, in the Negreneys-Maourines district. A place that arouses the anger of the inhabitants, because considered too close to schools, shops in a residential area. The future Toulouse-Lautrec station of the third metro line will be near the plant.
who opposes
These are the inhabitants of the Michel-Ange, Maourines, Croix Daurade and Borderouge districts. They have already exchanged with the town hall during a few information meetings, the last of which dates back to March 16. Determined to fight this project, the inhabitants are launching an online petition which has already declared more than 1,000 signatures.
Why this slingshot
Beyond the location, the inhabitants denounce an industrial polluting project. The supply of wood for the plant with a burnt mix risks creating noise pollution. To supply the plant, a massive and continuous supply is necessary, in a place with narrow access roads already saturated by dense housing. The fumes emitted by this type of installation release toxic fine particles, close to homes, within the perimeter of the Low Emission Zone.
What the town hall of Toulouse says
For the town hall, the boiler room will be subject to rigorous controls with established thresholds. For example, noise pollution will be capped at a maximum of 3 decibels per day. For supply, one truck per day in summer and three trucks per day in winter are needed: a fairly low incidence according to the town hall. In addition, this biomass system is a collective boiler whose pollution remains lower than individual heaters. The elected officials want to be reassuring, remaining open to better relocation proposals. “We understand the reaction of the inhabitants, it is legitimate”, discovered Pierre Trautmann, deputy mayor.