6 - Vicat

REAL ESTATE, FACTORIES AND EQUIPMENT8.2. Environmental policy 88.1.3. AggregatesExtractions are made on land which the Group ownsor over which it has long-term operating rights, andfor which it has obtained the necessary licenses. Inaddition, the Group maintains the level of its reservesthrough acquisitions and by obtaining new extractionlicenses. Finally, management of the quarriesintegrates the necessity of restoring the sites, asdiscussed in section 8.2 “Environmental policy” ofthis Registration Document.The industrial plant comprises heavy equipment suchas loaders, haulage machines, crushers and othermaterials such as draglines. With the exception ofsome plants held under financing leasing agreements,the Group generally owns this equipment.8.2. Environmental policyThe main pillars of the Group’s environmental policyare in line with its commitment to sustainable development; they reflect a genuine desire to respect theenvironment, conserve natural resources and develophuman relations. Investments amounted to a totalof € 5.9 million in 2010, € 8 million in 2009 and € 9.2million in 2008. This commitment results in particularin the following :8.2.1. Integrating quarries into their environmentEnvironmental considerations are incorporated intoall stages of the life cycle of the operation of thequarries, which is necessary in order to supply thecement factories or for the production of aggregates.The flora, fauna and countryside are taken intoconsideration at every stage of their operation. Thereare three main pillars to the Group’s environmentalpolicy for the operation of its quarries :Measures to compensate for extraction : As partof its projects, the Group is committed to settingup compensatory measures in conjunction with localNGOs and the authorities, involving programstargeted at a specific species, or broader programsrelating to biotopes as whole. For example, on July20, 2010 a partnership agreement was signed betweenGranulats Vicat and the fishing association ofthe French department of Ain, concerning the redevelopmentand future management of aggregatesquarries.Reduction of environmental impact : The control ofpollution and the impact of our quarries on biodiversityare essential elements in our operating policy.The amounts for which provision is made underthis heading in the Group’s consolidated financialstatements are shown in notes 1.17 and 15 of section20.2 “Financial information” of this RegistrationDocument.8.2.2. Optimized mix of energy sources with anincreasing share going to alternative fuels andwasteEnvironmental considerations always feature in thechoice of fuels used in the Group’s cement factories,whether this is reflected in the choice of fuels thatemit less CO 2, such as natural gas, or in the use of alternativefuels, as soon as a waste collection contractmakes this feasible from an industrial and financialpoint of view (subject to agreement from the relevantmonitoring authorities).Redevelopment of quarries : 84 % of the Group’squarries have a redevelopment plan. In 2010, morethan 600,000 m2 were redeveloped under such programs,which take various forms depending on thespecific context and local needs; in particular, theyinclude meadows, tree planting and lakes. For example,the planting program at the quarries linkedto the Bastas and Konya cement factories in Turkey;9,000 trees were planted in 2010 bringing the totalnumber of trees to 103,000 (Konya quarries) and102,000 (Bastas quarries). In Senegal the reinstatementof the woods around the Bandia aggregatesquarry also continued.2010 registration document VICAT 65