In Chailley (Yonne), the extension of the Duke slaughterhouse is still pending. The Administrative Court of Dijon gave the Yonne prefecture six months to review its copy, the operating authorization being marred by irregularities. Several associations still dispute the dimensioning of the project and its environmental impact.
Launched in 2022, the project to expand the DUC site, in Chailley (Yonne), has a setback. Since September 26, the public can again assert their observations for fifteen days. The entire file can be available on the Icaunaise prefecture website. A return consecutive to a decision of the Administrative Court of Dijon (Côte-d’Or).
Last April, justice suspended the authorization initially issued by the Yonne prefecture in December 2022. Number two of the poultry in France operated in particular a slaughterhouse and a cutting workshop.
Acquired in 2017 by the Dutch group, Plukon Food Group, the company wishes to increase its production capacity. Currently, more than 600 employees produce 110,000 chicken trays, every day in Yonne. A rate that had already doubled in 2017.
Almost six months after the decision of the administrative court, the suspended suspended soon comes to an end. State services must review their copy by taking into account a certain number of observations.
From its launch, the extension was criticized by several environmental associations, which brought an appeal. “”They (the administrative court, editor’s note) were unable to make a decision. They therefore simply allowed the operator to regularize the situation“, Deplores Catherine Schmitt, who presides over Yonne Nature Environnement.
Lancer of the protest, the Neuvy New Horizon association was rather satisfied with the decision by the voice of its president Nathalie Cronier: “The courts are increasingly supporting our arguments and oblige the State to apply the environment code.“
At the heart of criticism: the treatment plant. Located near several dwellings and a departmental road, it crystallizes tensions around the enlargement project. “”This is the substantive problem, especially when you have water levels that are low“, souligne Catherine Schmitt.
These are waters loaded with blood that are very smelly.
Catherine SchmittPresident of the Yonne Nature Environment association.
A point also mentioned in the judgment of April 18. “”The authorization request file does not include a precise timetable with regard to the extension work of the future treatment plant, or a sufficiently precise description of the work (…) it does not allow more to ensure that the current station has sufficient capacities to treat additional flows linked to the increase in activity.“
In order to support their observation, associations recall that several unfavorable decisions have been made in the past. Without any irregularity likely to put an end to the project being retained. Thus, from 2022, the Departmental Committee for the Environment and Health Risks (CODERST) had spoken against the extension.
“We, what we are asking is simply to apply the reserve of the first investigating commissioner who spoke. That is to say to put the treatment plant at the level. These are waters loaded with blood that are very smelly. You have to go for a walk to the station, it’s untenable “estimates Catherine Schmitt, evoking the doubling of the number of chickens that could be slaughtered.
In its decision of April 18, the Dijon administrative court considers that the initial operating authorization is illegal on several levels. In addition to the lack of schedule for the work of the treatment plant, the judgment mentions “insufficient prescriptions relating to the control of sound emissions“. As well as a procedural defect linked to a lack of details concerning the treatment of wastewater.
Noise pollution also pointed out by Nathalie Cronier: “There had been measures which were doubtful. The sensors were quite far from the treatment plant. Obviously, there was not too much noise“, Yellow the associative representative.
L214 is one of the associations that brought in a litigation against the enlargement project. In 2019, she revealed images shot in the group’s intensive farms.
•
© L214
Another burning question: the establishment of 80 mega-poulaillers on a radius of 150 kilometers. Dispropriate and harmful projects for the environment according to complainant associations, including L214. However, these farms were not taken into account in the impact study. Because “No other existing or in progress project has been identified since 2018“Around the Chailley site.
“You have a lot of Poulaillers that develop in the dawn and in different places of the Yonne. Even though there are already several agro-industries to install. At the start their will (from the Duke group, editor’s note), it was even to deploy them for 50 kilometers. And then, finally they saw the resistance organize“, Note Nathalie Cronier, who federates fifteen volunteers in her collective. The mega-poulailler of Sergines still ended up seeing the light of day, after six years of litigation.
The Duc group is the descendant of “la Chaillotine“, Founded by Gérard Bourgoin. The village child managed to become the European leader in fresh poultry in the 1980s, before losing the bankruptcy in 2000. Dispired, the company will eventually find buyers, who will ensure the continuation of the activity within the historic factory.
The prefect of Yonne will therefore have to issue a modifying authorization. The file will then return to the Dijon administrative court, which will decide on the corrections which will have been made. By then, the various stakeholders will be gathered during a follow-up committee, which will be held on October 15. The associations as well as the mayors concerned by the file will be invited. A formal framework where consensus are expected.
Contacted, the prefecture of Yonne and the Plukon group did not respond to our requests.