See the original article (french only) : Radio-Canada
From hospitals to vaccination centres, pharmacies, laboratories or dental clinics: there are many pick-up sites and the company takes care of the pick-up itself throughout Quebec, as well as transport to the plant in Portneuf.
“Procedure face masks are considered personal protective equipment and not biomedical waste, but we also accept them," says David Laflamme, President of DBM Environnement.
For Mr. Laflamme, who sold his insurance business in 2017 after a successful career in the field, this was an opportunity to invest in a new sector that was close to his heart: the environment.
After a market study, he realized that biomedical waste in Quebec was being treated by American companies based in the province that use a steam disinfection system and bury the waste in its original form. He then looked for a more ecological process to treat this waste differently.
Exclusive technology
The solution came from Belgium. The Ecosteryl 250 machine has been tried and tested in more than 60 countries over the past 15 years.
In this machine, medical waste is first shredded, then passed through 12 industrial microwave ovens before being cooked at 130°C for one hour to ensure total disinfection. This technology is electrically powered, does not require drinking water and reduces the volume of waste by 80% as it exits the machine in small, dry, non-sharp pieces.
While the remaining 20% is buried for the time being, Mr. Laflamme is already working to find a way to recycle this waste. “We are in discussions with local companies in the circular economy to recover plastic waste for future use and the rest could be recycled, for example, into energy,” he adds.
This technology is exclusive to BDM Environment in North America. The equipment can handle 250 kg of soiled material per hour and can be operated 24 hours a day.
The company, which opened in late May, currently has seven employees, including Mr. Laflamme's wife, Michelle Alarie, who handles institutional and government relations, and their oldest son, Charles-David, who handles business development. The youngest son, 14 years old, would also like to join the company for a summer job.
“I am really proud of my parents, I am lucky to work with them on a daily basis. I have great admiration for both my mother and my father. Having a good relationship with them is fun, because it makes the work easier,” Charles-David says.
For Ms. Alarie, it is a source of pride to work as a family to create a Quebec flagship that stands out on an environmental level, to make a difference for Quebec and future generations.
