Since 1999, the Centre de transfert technologique en écologie industrielle (CTTEI) has been helping companies and local authorities make the transition to a circular economy. With its recognized expertise, it will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in a year rich in new projects.
From forerunner to expert
In 1999, when the first international conference on industrial ecology was held in Sorel-Tracy, the groundwork was laid for the creation of the CTTÉI. The desire of local players to apply the principles of sustainable development to industries in the Sorel-Tracy region led the Cégep de Sorel-Tracy to create this applied research organization to support companies in their environmental challenges and train the next generation of students.
Under the slogans "Close the loop" and "Experts in the field", the Centre is gradually focusing its activities on the reclamation of industrial residues, the development of clean processes and the transition to a circular economy. Each of these approaches enables companies and organizations not only to make the shift to the circular economy, but also to increase their competitiveness, optimize their operations and reduce their environmental impact.
Expertise in constant evolution
As early as 2005, the CTTÉI introduced new ways ofoptimizing the management of residues, so that they were no longer perceived as waste to be disposed of, but rather as materials with economic potential to be exploited. This led to the launch of Quebec's first digital networking platform - the Industrial Waste Exchange - which was online until 2016.
At the same time, in 2008, the CTTÉI initiated the creation of the first industrial symbioses, followed a few years later by the launch of the Synergie Québec community of practice. With over 60 experienced advisors in the field and 4,000 participating companies, this network of territorial circular economy projects is having a considerable impact on the Quebec business ecosystem. The benefits in terms of dollars saved, tonnage of waste diverted from landfill and greenhouse gases avoided bear witness to the importance of these initiatives.
On the technological front, CTTEI researchers have been focusing on clean processes such as supercritical fluids andCO2 sequestration since 2010. Thanks to a partnership with Innovation Fluides supercritiques (France) and theUniversity of Aix-Marseille, the center is developing cutting-edge expertise and acquiringa test platform unique in Canada for the treatment of effluents loaded with organic compounds destined for disposal.
A growing impact on the business community
At a time when the fight against climate change is becoming increasingly crucial around the world, the CTTÉI's sales figures have been growing rapidly over the past 5 years. The team continues to make progress, forging collaborations that are as fruitful as they are forward-thinking, such as the coordination of Quebec's first project to support the economy of functionality and cooperation, EFC Québec, in which 20 companies initiated a change of business model based on the use of products rather than on the product itself (a $1.5 million project funded by Action Climat Québec).
Industrial ecology: a driving force for change
Recognized for both its technological expertise and its skills in social innovation, the CTTEI represents a complete innovation ecosystem serving companies and communities. Every year, it carries out over 100 projects in a wide variety of sectors: hotels and restaurants, the elastomer industry, agriculture and agri-food, construction-renovation-demolition (CRD), the concrete and polymer industry, water and effluent treatment, the healthcare sector, forestry, the digital industry, textiles, plastics, the metallurgical industry, etc.
"We're very proud of how far we've come in the past 25 years. Our efforts to raise awareness among businesses, organizations and government bodies have paid off, and today we can say without hesitation that we have helped position Quebec as a leader in the circular economy in Canada. We intend to build on this momentum by investing in new fields of research in the coming years, such as the recovery of materials from the energy transition, the decarbonization of industrial activities and the scaling-up of territorial circular economy projects", explains Claude Maheux-Picard, CTTEI's General Manager.
CTTEI will be celebrating its quarter-century with customers and partners on September 25 at a 5@7 organized as part of the Grande Rentrée du développement durable, an annual event in Sorel-Tracy co-organized with Comité 21 Québec.
About
A leader in Quebec's transition to a circular economy, the Centre de transfert technologique en écologie industrielle (CTTEI) develops innovative, cost-effective waste management solutions for businesses and communities, thanks to its unrivalled expertise in industrial ecology. It is affiliated with the Cégep de Sorel-Tracy and is a member of the CCTT - Synchronex network.
