Solvay creates a bio certified organic farm at one of its chemical plants!

Solvay’s Rosignano site obtained an organic certification for the lands in which it operates, and now 265 hectares (outside of the plant) of the total 565 hectares (owned by the plant) are used to grow organic crops such as cereals, wheat, olives and forage.

The bio farm spreads over half the plant’s surface. Furthermore, lands are cultivated organically, are respectful of the fields’ life cycle and allow the natural restoration of the geological characteristics of the ground. The organic farm at Solvay’s Rosignano Plant aims to optimize the consumption of resources so as to valorize assets in an innovative and sustainable way.

Not only is this approach environmentally friendly, but it allows an annual cost saving- from routine maintenance- and from earnings generated from growing crops and the sale of

organic products.

Following a growing agro-food trend, Solvay foresees an increase in profitability by on average two-thirds in 2019 compared to the non-organic approach adopted previously.

Pietro D’Angelo, a site facility employee, explains how such an unconventional idea came about: “Our lands, which are not far from the plant’s perimeter, comply with the EEC (European Economic Community) requirements of Bio regulations and for this reason it was relatively natural to obtain the Bio Certification. I live in open air and my world is nature. In dealing with the site’s land, I simply asked how I would have managed these lands if they were my own and the idea just came about. When I presented it to Bernadette Francois, the Procurement and Site Facility Manager, she was enthusiastic. At first, it seemed crazy, but now the results and future prospects are concrete, and we still have many other ideas in this direction!”

Bernadette Francois further explains, “This project, which is one of the many we carry out in our field, makes me particularly proud because it clearly demonstrates that trusting and developing people brings excellent unexpected results on the one hand, and on the other, it shows that sustainability is now an essential value for every one of us.

“This idea has just obtained the approval of the Ministry of Agriculture, and we now hope for a good harvest!”