To avoid illegal landfills, the Municipality has set up depots for the collection of Christmas green waste. To give them a second life, they are then recycled by Sirtomad.
For several weeks they were proudly enthroned in the center of the living room. But Christmas has passed, and the beautiful Christmas trees green from the start, chosen and decorated with taste, are already beginning to show signs of weariness. For those who have opted for an artificial tree, don’t worry, because the latter will have the opportunity to experience a new Christmas next year. But for others, the direction of oblivion… However, in Montauban, out of the question to get rid of your conifer on the street neither seen nor known! For ten years, the city has made “Récup’Sapins” collection points available to residents, delimited by barriers and a dedicated display. In total, 24 fences are distributed in each district to allow residents to abandon their tree and avoid illegal dumping, before being recovered for recycling by Sirtomad, the waste treatment union of the agglomeration.
These deposits are located in the following areas: Salles des fêtes de Fonneuve, Verlhaguet, Carreyrat, Saint-Martial, Falguières, Saint-Hilaire, Le Fau, Gasseras, Bressols, Marché-Gare, place Lalaque, Avenue J. Moulin between Del Arte and glass recycling, Sapiac at the entrance to the former Lidl, between Cuisinella and Marie Blachère, Intermarché du Ramiérou and Albasud, Hippodrome school, Quai Poult car park, Place Capéran, Place Victor Hugo, Raymond embankment, Fobio car park, alley of the Emperor, place Guibert.
2,000 recycled trees
During the month of January, the agents of the technical services of the Municipality and of Greater Montauban make several rounds to collect the fir trees deposited by individuals and bring them to Sirtomad. Approximately 2,000 conifers are harvested each year. «In 2021 there were even 2,300. People are starting to take the SLR», underlines Mathilde Ensergueix, director of the waste cleaning division at the union. Once collected, go to the Albasud composting platform, near the waste disposal center.
“The fir trees, like the bags of biodegradable corn starch, are mixed there with other green waste to be crushed and stacked for composting,” specifies the director. This is followed by a six month fermentation period, during which the piles are turned and the temperature and humidity controlled to check that the composting is done correctly. Afterwards the waste is sieved like a sieve, so that the most valuable material for the compost is obtained. “The remaining branches are put back into the other piles which are composted. Nothing is lost,” insists the manager. In one year, around 9,000 tons of waste are processed on the platform, for a total of 4,000 tons of compost. The latter is then made available to users of the waste collection centre. What a great way to start the year with a good deed!
