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Renault is seeking to reduce and treat aqueous waste at its source, i.e. during the actual production process. The Curitiba plant was the first Renault powertrain site to be designed on the principle of zero emissions to water. The same approach is being applied to Group sites.

The first stage of the approach is to design processes that generate minimal emissions to water:

1. Efforts were made to minimize cutting fluid and detergent flows.
2. All machining systems have been centralized. A mobile centrifuge is used, where necessary, to remove unwanted oil from the machining fluids.
3. All washing machines are supplied from a single central detergent unit. This central unit has a centrifuge, which removes oil pollution. This action is enhanced by a chemical reagent.             

In the second stage of the process, the small quantity of residual effluents is recovered in a storage tank and treated by evaporation. At the evaporator outlet, the evaporated and condensed water is recycled in the central units. The concentrate takes the form of an oily residue, which is treated using an approved process for reuse as a fuel.

By integrating environmental issues into the design/development stage, at the Curitiba powertrain plant, Renault has proven its ability to manufacture vehicles without emissions to water.

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