T YPOLOGY OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AND IDENTIFICATION OF INDUSTRIES AND SITES SOURCES

4.3.1 Typology of industrial activities

A list of activities using chlorinated solvents and presenting significant pollution risk was elaborated based on extensive literature review and expert consultation⁵. The activities were then ranked in terms of level of pollution risk. A total of 126 activities presenting a signifi-cant risk of pollution were then selected (only 113 are present in polluted areas). Activities were selected using the official list of economic activities developed by the French Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE). They were then grouped into 8 categories as follows:

- Mechanical industries: this group includes 45 different economic activities produc-ing various mechanical equipments. The use of solvents is related to degreasproduc-ing op-erations and cleaning before metal coating.

- Car and motorcycle workshops (2 activities) are also considered as potential sources of pollution; solvents are used to clean mechanical parts.

- Activities producing or using paint: this group includes 11 activities, out of which 3 industrial activities producing glue, varnishes and paint; 5 activities producing fur-niture (use of varnish and paint); a wood impregnation activity; 2 activities related to house painting and decorating;

- Metal coating activities: this group includes 18 activities where metal coating op-erations are very significant; solvents are used for cleaning metal pieces before ap-plying paint or any other coating; cleaning is generally carried out using specific solvent based washing machine.

- Metal processing: this group includes 7 metal cutting activities; metal cutting activi-ties are performed using a cutting fluid (oil) for preventing an excessive elevation of the temperature during the cutting operation; at the end of the process, metal pieces are cleaned suing solvents.

- Textile activities: 4 activities (dying, industrial laundry, fur and leather industry) use solvents and represent potential risks of pollution.

5 This part of the work was carried out as part of a project conducted by BRGM for the Water Agency Rhin Meuse.

- Chemical industries: this group includes 11 different activities producing perfumes, pharmaceutical products, agrochemical products, rubber and other plastic material, artificial fibers, chemical products for industrial use, etc. Solvents are used as raw material in the production process or as extracting agent for certain chemical reac-tions. The risk of pollution is mainly due to the storage and manipulation of solvents within the industrial compound.

- Other activities: this group includes 4 activities manufacturing electrical and elec-tronics equipment, the production of essential oils and coffee (solvents are used as extracting agent), 3 printing activities, industrial cleaning activities,

For all these activities, pollution may be due to: (i) leakage of a storage tank; (ii) leakage of a pipe transporting the solvent inside the industrial site; (iii) to the storage of used solvents before they are recycled; (iv) leakage occurring during the industrial process itself. Past pol-lution may also have lead to the accumulation of solvents in the soil which are progressively released in the aquifer.

4.3.2 Identification of source of pollution

The use of the integrated database compiling information related to (i) groundwater quality (Inventaire 2003), (ii) contaminated sites (BASIAS database) and economic enterprises (SIRENE database) has led to the assessment of the number of pollution sources to be con-sidered in the program of measures. The number of pollution sources differs for the two scenarios. Results of this assessment are given bellow:

For Scenario 1 which consists in restoring drinking water quality, measures are imple-mented in 12 municipalities where monitoring points exceed drinking quality standards.

- We identified 41 abandoned industrial sites of risk 1 where further studies have to be undertaken to assess the actual risk of chlorinated solvent CS contamination. All these sites are located in one of the four major cities of the region: Mulhouse, Séles-tat and the surroundings of Strasbourg. We assume that a Simplified Risk Assess-ment study will be carried out in each of the 41 sites; that the impacts on groundwa-ter will be monitored for 50% of the 41 sites; and that 20% of the sites will effec-tively need remediation measures.

- Preventive measures also have to be applied to a total of 466 enterprises of these 12 municipalities, employing over 13 000 persons and generating an annual turn over of 3 millions Euros (estimated value). In addition, preventive measures are applied to house painting and decorating enterprises (975 enterprises, 3900 employees) and industrial cleaning enterprises (121 enterprises, 13500 employees) at the regional level; since these enterprises are mobile and can generate pollution in different places, measures aiming at reducing their pollution must apply at the regional level.

Economic sector

Number of enterprises

Number of employees

Turn over (thous. €)

Added value (thous. €)

Chemichal 14 1224 592 104

Electrical and electronic equipements 18 672 161 44

Car and motorcycle repair workshops 140 727 121 26

Food and beverage industry 3 20 8 2

Printing industry 60 770 101 34

Mecanical industry 117 6897 1682 400

Industry producing or using paint 46 793 125 35

Textile industry 5 228 22 7

Metal coating activities 57 1669 260 78

Metal cutting and processing industry 6 75 11 3

Total 466 13075 3081 734

Table 4: Enterprises located in polluted areas for which preventive measures are imple-mented (scenario 1).

For Scenario 2 which consists in restoring natural water quality (removal of traces), meas-ures are implemented in 128 municipalities where races of chlorinated solvents are detected.

- We identified 114 abandoned industrial contaminated sites of risk 1 located in these municipalities where further studies have to be undertaken to assess the actual risk of chlorinated solvent CS contamination. As for scenario 1, we assume that a Sim-plified Risk Assessment Study will be carried out for all the 114 sites; that addi-tional monitoring will be implemented for 50% of the sites; and actual remediation action taken in 20% of the sites.

- Preventive measures are applied to all mobile enterprises as in the first scenario.

They are also applied to all potential polluting industries located in the 128 munici-palities (1937 enterprises, see table below for details) and to the 975 house painting and decorating enterprise as well as to the 121 industrial cleaning industries.

Economic sector

Chemichal industry 71 7 459 3 145 684

Electrical and electronic equipements 46 1 142 244 69

Car and motorcycle repair workshops 574 2 698 439 98

Food and beverage industry 26 463 184 42

Printing industry 276 3 571 460 158

Mecanical industry 462 35 092 11 230 2 210

Industry producing or using paint 177 4 844 778 213

Textile industry 16 577 56 19

Metal coating activities 241 5 837 767 254

Metal cutting and processing industry 44 888 200 46

Total 1 933 62 568 17 504 3 793

Table 5: Enterprises located in areas where the presence of chlorinated solvents is detected and for which preventive measures are implemented (scenario 2).