Near Toulouse, the city of L’Union will analyze the air with high-tech technologies
The report of part of the traffic on the Toulouse ring road between Saint-Orens and Launaguet, since the establishment of the ZFE, worries the City of L’Union. It is preparing to install pollution sensors very soon and is studying a high-tech camera system in conjunction with a Toulouse company.
It is a promise made to the Union residents to which the mayor holds: the air they breathe will be analyzed very closely. This desire is not new but accelerated at the beginning of the year with the establishment of the ZFE (Low Emissions Zone) by the Metropolis, which opted for a report of the most polluting vehicles on the ring road. . This choice worries the City of L’Union, which fears a “consequent influx of cars and trucks between Saint-Orens and Launaguet”. Hence the idea of precisely controlling their impact on the air. This will be done in two stages. The first phase will see the light of day during the last quarter. “It consists of the installation of static sensors. One will be installed near McDonald’s, near the ring road, the second in the Malpagat park sector, in the city center”, explains Yannick Puget, delegate municipal councilor in charge of social and technological innovation. In parallel, the elected official explains that a study is being carried out to “provide a suitcase which would be ready for Union residents in order to deliver other analyzes made near their domicile. We then plan to publish this data on the City’s website and application”. These facilities, deemed “very effective would be of a” low cost “according to him, which on the other hand, is not the case of another, even more efficient, on which the elected officials report. Unfortunately, to date, it cannot be supported financially by the municipality alone. “This is a camera that analyzes the magnetic spectrum that we want to install on the roof of the town hall. It’s very high technology. This camera can echo two others already installed in Toulouse. The observed field would then be extremely precise, ”says the elected official.
Knock on the door of neighboring towns
The expense, which would be around €100,000, did not convince the unanimity of Marc Péré’s team who, as in every decision, prefer consensus to force. The project is therefore once again subject to discussions, again with the Toulouse-based company WaltR, which specializes in analyzes using optical sensors. However, an avenue has already been explored to lighten the load to be borne. The City plans to knock on the door of neighboring municipalities such as Balma, Launaguet and Saint-Jean, also in the field of observation of fine particles and other pollutants. At the same time, the Union reaffirms its desire to knock again on Porte de la Métropole, which has already listened while repeating that it is not in favor of “isolated perspectives”, preferring, to this day, to continue “to refer to Atmo Occitanie”. Marc Péré continues to think that the health of his fellow citizens “is an issue that requires concrete answers… and everyone’s involvement”. To be continued, therefore.
The Toulouse experience of WaltR
The city of L’Union has chosen to work with the company WaltR on the project to install optical sensors. This company co-founded and directed by Eric Péquignon is already having an experience with the Toulouse metropolis which it could, why not, enrich with the trade union project. WaltR has in fact installed a prototype camera at La Reynerie and, apart from that, has signed contracts with the City of Angers, the Port of Nice and Charles de Gaulle airport. The principle is to collect data in high resolution, in 3D and in real time. “Our multispectral imagers are installed at various strategic high points around the area to be assessed. The characteristics of the gases and particles observed can be determined remotely. This data is then transcribed into our software,” explained the director of WaltR to La Dépêche during an interview. Eric Péquignot had also mentioned the project piloted by the Metropolis for the demolition and revegetation of the north of the island of Ramier, an operation carried out within the framework of the “Life for the environment and the climate” program financed by Europe. An entire area of 25 km2 was thus placed under control during the demolition of the former exhibition center, the consequences of which on the air are closely studied.