Capteurs d'Avenir
by PollutecNews and market updates for environment professionals

Green taxonomy: What exactly are we talking about?
Etymologically, taxonomy is a classification system. Describing something as “green” designates a classification system for economic activities that are globally sustainable…
Micropollutants in water: entering the age of quaternary treatment
Micropollutants is the term used to describe substances that are able to affect living organisms at very low concentrations due to their toxicity, persistence or bioaccumulation. Today we know about monitoring and analysing these micropollutants, but where are we on processes to eliminate them?
Nominees for the Pollutec Innovation Awards 2020
Organized with Pexe – Les éco-entreprises de France, the Pollutec Innovation Awards aim to distinguish, among the innovations presented by the exhibitors, those that offer the greatest market potential. Here is the list of nominees in alphabetical order.
Decarbonation of the industry: we are accelerating!
Accelerating the greening of the economy and the decarbonation of industry is one of the five areas of work identified by the (French) National Industry Council (NIC) last May. But what exactly is meant by “decarbonizing industry” and is it really that new?
Energy: 5 startups that bring together innovation and environment
The transformation of the industrial sector so it has a lower environmental impact is one of the challenges of our century. But can innovation really be reconciled with environment? Here are 5 rising startups that are re-drawing the lines.
New future prospects for the environmental instrumentation and metrology market
Long focused on pollution detection, the market for environmental instrumentation and metrology has broadened to include other major issues such as climate change, the preservation of natural resources, the protection of biodiversity as well as health issues. It is no longer just a question of complying with regulatory or normative limit values, but also of helping to anticipate phenomena and prevent their sometimes significant consequences.
Reducing the environmental footprint of ships, what solutions?
Making ships “greener” is not limited to changing their engines. Solutions exist at all stages of the life cycle of ships. Others are under development. Here are a few examples.
A new era for air quality?
With 48,000 premature deaths per year in France and more than 428,000 in Europe, air pollution is a major public health issue. It is the number one environmental concern of French people. Awareness was all the more striking in this particular year, marked by a period of almost total containment.
How should an Environmental Management System be implemented within a company?
The number of organisations embedding an Environmental Management System (EMS) into their overall policy is booming. Why and how should you implement an EMS into your organisation?
Plastic pollution in the oceans – what answers do we have?
Everyone’s talking about plastic pollution in the oceans, but what’s actually being done? Given the scale of the problem, is it enough to get rid of plastic straws and stirrers, or do we need to look at the sector’s entire value chain? Is the circularity approach enough, if it isn’t focused on waste? How much difference can substitute products make?
What innovative sustainable material applications will 2020 bring?
In many sectors, the energy transition is intertwined with innovative materials. Over time, laboratories have identified new materials that offer huge potentials. Some are self-healing, while others can even be programmed. The ultimate goal? To develop materials that provide more energy than they consume. Spotlight on innovative materials to watch in 2020.
The first innovations to come out of Pollutec 2020
This is an overview of the first 44 innovations submitted by exhibitors for Pollutec as at the end of July.
2020 report on the blue economy in Europe
The European Commission’s 2020 report on the blue economy offers a broad perspective on the performance of those EU economic sectors related to the ocean and coastline. For its third edition, it explores in detail the environmental dimension of the blue economy…
The new Ministry of Marine Affairs: what’s the remit?
As from 7 July the French government includes a Ministry of Marine Affairs, headed by Annick Girardin. All details about this new Ministry’s remit.
How will the circular economy allow for effective and environmentally-friendly waste management?
How will the circular economy allow for effective and environmentally-friendly waste management?
The circular economy is a system that addresses the need for the fundamental reinvention of how we produce and consume. It’s a model that allows resource consumption to be reduced while limiting environmental impacts. How will this new system allow for better waste management?
A call for innovative solutions to reduce and recycle waste on an international scale
The Direction générale du Trésor (Directorate General of the French Treasury, French Ministry for the Economy) is inviting applications from French companies to submit international projects aimed at reducing and recycling waste. This call for tender is part of the FASEP Innovation verte (Green Innovation) strategy and the closing date for applications is 1 October.
How should BOD5 be used in biological wastewater treatment?
BOD5 is an essential tool in the biological treatment of wastewater. What is its role? How is it measured and how is it different from COD?
Management opportunities in the environmental job market
In December 2019, the French Association for Jobs in Management (Apec) published the study “The realities of management opportunities in the environmental job market”, using data from an analysis of vacancies published between 2016 and 2018 and from a search of the database on Main qualifications and training offered by public establishments reporting to the ministry. This research showed that environment is not only developing but it’s seen as a very attractive market…
Is Industry 4.0 compatible with environmental impact reduction?
Thanks to the development of digital technology, Industry 4.0 promises companies productivity gains and cost reduction. But are these advances sustainable?
Agriculture and environment – green shoots of harmony?
The concepts of “agriculture” and “environment” have been in conflict for several decades, even generations, whereas they should naturally go together. The many pressures exerted by the agricultural system on the environment and climate are increasingly well-documented. Various plans, reports and strategies have been produced to combat this but their objectives are often long-term. Thankfully, many are already taking action and working tirelessly to make the agricultural model more environmentally responsible.
Covid-19: players from the environmental sector pull together
If the times we live in have ushered in many constraints, they’ve also showcased an extraordinary surge in solidarity. Many research institutes, large groups or smaller companies have contributed through a range of remarkable actions. Here are just a few examples selected from Pollutec 2020 exhibitors.
More environmentally-friendly ports: we’re getting there
Ecological and energy transition of ports, sustainable or future ports, EcoPorts… There’s no shortage of vocabulary in the port sector describing the many activities underway to preserve the environment and climate. These initiatives multiply. Here are a few examples.
Waste recycling: what are the six challenges set out in the 2019 agreement?
Reduction and recycling of waste is a major political issue governed by European Union law. Each member state is accordingly charged with the national implementation of the laws and directives adopted by the EU. On 18 January 2019, the CSF for Waste Transformation and...
Business and biodiversity: What’s the Score?
In its latest global assessment, the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) showed that human activity has already altered 75% of terrestrial environments and 66% of marine environments. It also revealed that about a...
How can the environmental impact of your industrial projects be reduced?
How to reduce the environmental impact of your industrial projects?
Today, the issue of companies’ environmental impact is of interest to all market sectors, industry in particular. Given this context, industry professionals have been seeking out innovative methods to bring their projects to fruition while limiting their ecological footprint.