In Poinville, in Eure-et-Loir, a sober concrete and crushed paving in shades of gray covers the alleys of the cemetery of this small town of 150 inhabitants.
Here, elected officials anticipated future regulations on the use of phytosanitary products.
From January 1, 2022, these chemical weedkillers harmful to the environment and health will be banned in cemeteries throughout France.
To avoid having to weed regularly, this municipality has chosen to call on the Ecovégétal company, located in Broué, in the north of Eure-et-Loir.
This SME of around one hundred employees, experiencing strong growth with 20 million turnover expected in 2021, specializes in mineral or vegetated slabs, for parking lots or roofs, which allow the rains to infiltrate the area. soil instead of runoff.
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To meet these new regulations, the company has extended its offer to cemeteries.
"In four or five years, you can have a beautiful carpet of greenery that requires little maintenance, or opt for mineral tiles that also let water through", explains President Pierre Georgel.
Several dozen cemeteries have already chosen this type of solution in recent years, and demand should increase with the entry into force of the ban on plant protection products.
“We were pioneers in this market.
Cemeteries represent 400 million m2 of total surface area, it is a huge potential ", adds the boss, who ensures that this solution is not more expensive than impermeable concrete or asphalt walkways," less virtuous and less durable ".