Approved by the City of Paris at the end of last year, the Vitry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne) mega-incinerator project, known as Thermo-sur-Seine, continues to be a subject of debate. On Tuesday, opponents gathered in front of the City Hall to criticize the health risks and lack of consultation. The project, announced within the framework of the renewal of the concession of Paris's heating network, aims to decarbonize the urban heating system by constructing a mega-waste incinerator in the Ardoines district of Vitry-sur-Seine. The site was previously home to an EDF thermal power plant that operated until 2015. The incinerator will draw water from the Seine and use it to heat waste, including 450,000 tonnes of "B wood" and recovered solid fuels, transported from within a 300-kilometer radius. According to the City of Paris, the project is expected to reduce the share of gas in the energy mix from 50% to 22%. Evaluated at 1.2 billion euros by the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP), the project is intended to help Paris achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2050. Conducted by Dalkia, a subsidiary of EDF, the incinerator aims to "strengthen energy sovereignty" and "better protect the purchasing power of users," with an estimated energy production cost of 5 euros per megawatt-hour (MWh), compared to 59 euros/MWh for gas. Opponents argue that the project represents a "mirage of decarbonization" and pose significant health and environmental risks. Demonstrators, including members of the 3R collective, Acid-Vitry, and the Fight Against the Créteil Incinerator (Alic), highlighted concerns about the health impacts of incinerators, citing studies that found the presence of PFAS, or "eternal" pollutants, in air filters at schools near existing incinerators in Ivry-sur-Seine. They argue that the project is "completely archaic" and contrary to waste reduction policies, emphasizing that waste should be reduced at the source, reused, and recycled before considering incineration. Critics also point out that the incinerator is being built in a working-class suburb of Paris rather than within the city itself, which they argue reflects a "class contempt" and targets low-income communities. Thomas Dessalles, president of the Alic, and Bilel Moumni, deputy mayor of Ris-Orangis, criticized the decision, stating that residents of the periphery should not be the "adjustment variable" of Paris's energy transition. They also referenced an American study showing that incinerators are often located in areas with low-income communities or immigrant populations. Environmentalists and local officials have expressed concerns about the contradiction between the political goals of the Ecologists and their support for the incinerator project. Sylvain Raifaud, president of the ecological group of the Grand Paris, criticized the project as a "monumental contradiction" and called for greater resistance against industrial interests. Opposition to the project has also come from elected officials from La France insoumise, who were widely applauded at the demonstration. The City of Paris insists that the project is currently subject to a preliminary consultation organized under the auspices of the CNDP, which is scheduled to run until November 1. However, opponents remain skeptical, arguing that these consultations are regulatory procedures and not intended to change the course of the project. They also criticized the lack of involvement of researchers, scientists, and doctors in the discussions. Opponents continue to mobilize, with a petition against the incinerator project gathering nearly 5,000 signatures, and another petition organized by the Val-de-Marne department receiving over 18,000 signatures. Activists emphasize the importance of citizen mobilization and alternative solutions, such as renovating buildings to reduce energy needs. The Val-de-Marne department, the City of Vitry-sur-Seine, and Dalkia did not respond to requests for comment.