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Green Business
  • News article
  • 30 October 2023
  • Directorate-General for Environment
  • 3 min read

EMAS Day 2023 Showcases Environmental Excellence in Belgium

The Belgian EMAS Day marked its 14th edition on October 4, 2023. This year, the event was hosted in Wallonia, Belgium, focusing on the theme, "The Added Value of EMAS in Wastewater and Household Waste Management."

Lady at registration desk handing over a badge to a smiling man. on the right there is a young lady signing a paper.
Belgian EMAS Day 2023

EMAS Day is an annual celebration dedicated to the European Commisson’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, serving as a platform to discuss on environmental management, sustainability, and best practices. With a particular emphasis on EMAS' contributions to these goals, the event highlights the crucial role the voluntary environmental management system plays in enhancing organizations' environmental performance.

Traditionally organized in rotation by the three Belgian regions, EMAS Day had been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in previous years. However, in 2022, under the guidance of the Brussels-Capital Region, EMAS Day regained its shine with an event held at the iconic Tour et Taxis site, where the theme centered on "EMAS and the Climate." The occasion also included a visit to the EMAS-certified AUDI factory in Forest.

In 2023, the stage was set in Wallonia, and the day's overarching focus was to explore the role of EMAS in managing wastewater and household waste. Moreover, it took a citizen-centric approach, shedding light on how the EMAS framework can influence infrastructure in wastewater treatment (such as sewage treatment plants) and waste management, particularly in composting facilities.

The event unfolded in the state-of-the-art facilities of the Liège-Oupeye Wastewater Treatment Plant, a property of the Liège intermunicipal company, AIDE. Wallonia mandates the implementation of environmental management systems in specific industries as a condition for obtaining sector-specific environmental permits. Therefore, there is a widespread presence of EMAS registrations in public facilities engaged in wastewater treatment and the management of household waste. All eight intermunicipal companies responsible for household waste management in Wallonia are EMAS registered.

The state-of-the-art facilities of the Liège-Oupeye Wastewater Treatment Plant. High building with stairs on the left and glass on the right taking at the rising of the sun. The light is reflecting on the glass and on the water on the bottom.
The state-of-the-art facilities of the Liège-Oupeye Wastewater Treatment Plant

The participants at EMAS Day primarily represented the EMAS network in Belgium, including regional correspondents, as well as representatives from both public and private entities. Notably, this edition welcomed a substantial number of delegates from intermunicipal companies specializing in wastewater treatment and waste management.

The morning session featured three informative presentations:

  1. The Future of Wastewater Treatment: Olivier Bastin, a Bioengineer from Almadius Engineering, presented insights from a study focusing on the future of wastewater treatment, considering climate constraints and resource scarcity.
General publications4 October 2023
The Future of Wastewater Treatement
  1. Household Waste Management: Virginie Dieu from Intradel, the intermunicipal company, discussed the activities, perspectives, and the pivotal role that EMAS can play in the household waste sector.
General publications4 October 2023
Household Waste Management
  1.  AIDE's Contribution to Wastewater Treatment: Delphine Eloy and Franck Bodson from AIDE provided a comprehensive overview of AIDE's activities and the wastewater treatment plant that hosted the event.
General publications4 October 2023
AIDE's Contribution to Wastewater Treatment
Virginie Dieu from Intradel sitting behind a desk and speaking on the mic. Delphine Eloy and Franck Bodson from AIDE sitting on the left side of Virginie Dieu, focussing on her speech.
Virginie Dieu from Intradel, Delphine Eloy and Franck Bodson from AIDE
On the left a woman thinking, next to her a man speaking on the mic which he is holding on with his right hand.
Participants engaging in the discussion

Then participants embarked on a guided tour of the Liège-Oupeye Wastewater Treatment Plant, designed to process wastewater discharge from nearly 465,000 equivalent inhabitants. The guide enthusiastically unveiled the various, at times sophisticated, technologies used in wastewater treatment.

The next destination on the agenda was the EMAS registered Grâce Hollogne Biocentre, managed by Intradel, an intermunicipal association offering comprehensive waste management services to its constituent municipalities. Here, attendees had the opportunity to gain firsthand insights into one of their green waste treatment centers. This facility provides a convenient platform for municipalities, individuals, and farmers to deposit green waste and agricultural plastics, while also offering access to top-quality compost.

The visit’s final leg took attendees to the Resource Garden, an interactive and educational garden and integral part of the Grâce-Hollogne Biocentre. Sponsored by Intradel, the Resource Garden is a hub for various awareness activities, covering everything from green waste prevention and management to the dissemination of tips for achieving zero waste and implementing best practices in gardening, all the while fostering biodiversity. This garden serves as a living testament to the principles of the circular economy, aiming to become a model for eco-design and the practice of upcycling within the gardening domain.

In the aftermath of the event, unanimous feedback emphasized the value of EMAS Day, highlighting the informative presentations and the high-quality field visits.

Looking forward, the 2024 edition of EMAS Day is set to be organized by the Flanders region, promising yet another enlightening and impactful gathering celebrating environmental excellence and sustainability.

Guided tour of the Liège-Oupeye Wastewater Treatment Plant. A man is speaking to a group of people explaining the site visit. Four people are looking at him focussing on his speech.
Guided tour of the Liège-Oupeye Wastewater Treatment Plant

 

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Details

Publication date
30 October 2023
Author
Directorate-General for Environment