From its early years, Serpollet, and more recently SERFIM, is known to environment professionals for its site and soil and also waste treatment activities. Today, the group is heading in other additional directions. Which?

We are continuing to devise and develop new recycling techniques: plaster, windows, glass wool, wood, etc. Our Joint Venture with Vicat (Terenvie) will mean we will be able to treat contaminated soil at the centre of the “chemistry valley”.

What does a show like Pollutec represent for you?

An essential two-yearly event in Lyon to rethink our environmental strategy on renewable energy, water treatment etc. We consider this show to represent an occasion for essential technology watch.

For the Pollutec 2018 edition, SERPOL is highlighting its innovative process for the hydraulic containment of a source of groundwater pollution by injection of a biodegradable surfactant foam. Can you tell us more in an exclusive interview for Capteurs d’avenir?

The development of this process is the result of joint work between an industrialist, RENAULT, the Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux and SERPOL, decontamination branch of the SERFIM Group. The project was made possible thanks to the financial support of the ADEME, but especially thanks to the trust RENAULT placed in SERPOL’s work. The pilot site in Spain on which the process was tested produced results beyond our expectations!

It is a breakthrough process using a fluid, foam, with really specific behaviour, and with multiple decontamination applications, which should enable us to treat pollution more efficiently or with performances which until now were impossible to achieve. The other remarkable aspect is that the foam is mainly made up of …air (95%), which makes the process quite economical!

Thanks to the invention patent application made by the research consortium, SERPOL is already planning to test this technology on 3 different European sites in 2019 and is making the most of the POLLUTEC show to advertise it and offer pilot tests to our current and prospective customers!